Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for the progress report. There is renewed concern about meeting our climate targets and about our emissions, given recent reports. Something I have been chasing up is our progress on geothermal energy. Based on the reply to a previous parliamentary question, it seems that what we really need is completion of the policy statement. The Minister tells me the policy statement is meant to run from 2023 until 2027. We are in June 2023. In my constituency, and I imagine in that of the Taoiseach, a number of very large institutions are absolutely gagging to be involved in geothermal energy. Some experimental boreholes have been drilled. What they need to move forward is certainty. They need a policy that is complete and a geothermal map of Dublin to move ahead. We are looking at a situation where if they had this, not only could they be servicing their own needs and reducing emissions but very likely they could be offering free heat or power to the local community and domestic houses.

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