Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Every time ten people used electricity in Ireland last year, almost four out of ten times that electricity was generated from, in general, onshore wind. This is playing a major part in all of our constituents' and citizens' lives, particularly when they boil the kettle, turn on the light, open the fridge or turn on the television. Ireland is very dependent on this form of energy. Let us be honest about this; we do not want the lights to go out. We need to have an energy supply. Almost 40% of the electricity generated here last year came from these sources of energy.

We need to get the guidelines right. I accept that this has been going on for a long time. I also accept that it has been going on for too long. I want finality to brought to this matter in order that there will be certainty this year in the context of what the revised guidelines are. I want communities, citizens and people to have an opportunity to have a say in the draft guidelines, and then I want us to publish the final guidelines this year. We are listening, we are engaging and of course we will follow the science.

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