Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputies Bacik and Murphy and other Deputies should start thinking very quickly now about how they see the economy evolving. They should dispense with all the sound bites and get down to the substance of should happen. Do we think we can just park ourselves at the side of the road while this massive, profound change is occurring in technology and then just pick it all up again in five or six years' time? We will not be able to do that.

We have a huge challenge in the context of competitiveness. How do we match the AI revolution and the extraordinary energy it consumes with the challenges we face between now and 2030? On Deputy Brennan's point, two auctions in respect of wind energy have been successful, notwithstanding the changes. The previous Government had to set up the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, and entirely new infrastructure to deal with offshore wind energy and maritime planning. It needs to move fast. As stated, two auctions were held. There is a very good chance offshore wind farms will be in place, and hopefully in production, by 2030 or 2031. We do not need any objections to those because wind is the only option for Ireland in the context of the existential climate change that we face. There will, however, be a need for a transition fuel, and that transition fuel will be gas. There is no point in pretending otherwise; it will be needed. We need reality to come through.

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