Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

The Government's intention on the installation of a facility like the floating LNG facility that is proposed is that it is being led by the State rather than a commercial entity. It is being done in a controlled manner that will, as I outlined in the earlier answer, allow us to protect a critical supply in the event of anything happening to the two interconnectors or indeed the subsea pipeline which connects the Corrib field. It is a protection system and will not increase the usage of gas. Those of us who believe in the transition away from fossil fuels to cleaner and renewable energy still recognise that gas will be that transition fuel for quite some time, recognising that the wind does not blow all the time and the sun does not shine all the time.

Last Friday, I launched the Government's next wave of offshore wind energy proposals. We are starting the process of developing a designated marine plan around our coastline which will identify sites suitable for fixed-bottom and floating wind generation. That is our direction of travel and we are committed to that. As the Deputy knows, by 2030 we intend to have another 5 GW of electricity in construction and by 2040 an additional 15 GW. We are absolutely committed to renewables but we must accept that we must have protections in the event of anything happening to the supplies of gas that are already there.

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