Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the context of the climate action that we need to take, there is really only one show in town for Ireland, and we all know that is our offshore renewable energy. While I welcome the fact that there has been a €90 million investment in Cork port, it is not enough. We need to be investing hundreds of millions of euro in our ports because we need to extend them out and widen them. Otherwise, the giant vessels that are going to be delivering the components for the future of offshore renewable energy development will not be able to get into the ports and will not be as efficient as possible. I know the Minister is well aware of that. Will the Department commit to investing hundreds of millions of euro right now to prevent us facing billions in fines in the future? It is the young people up here who will be paying taxes on this. It is not going to be a one-time thing. This is going to be our future if we do not reach our targets. We will be fined again and again. We need to solve this now, at the start of the Government's term, rather than in five years' time.

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