David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State gives me only some comfort because he stated, and he can correct me if I am wrong, that the port can obtain 30% of the costs. That is not enough. It needs 100% of the cost to have certainty. There are many companies looking at this and making serious investment decisions to the tune of billions of euro. We need clarity here. The Minister of State said we are going to have 30% of the cost, but there still is not clarity. Can the Port of Cork enter into a public private partnership, PPP, with the private sector, if that is possible, to get the funding to carry out the essential work that is needed? Members of the Oireachtas committee went to Belfast where we found they are way ahead of us. We do not want a situation where many of the turbines will be assembled in France or Wales and towed over to Cork, resulting in the loss of jobs in the Cork and south coast area. We need clarity. I implore both the Minister and Minister and State to put their minds to this. The great plans we have for offshore wind cannot and will not happen unless this is sorted quickly.

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