Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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22. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the continued operation of coal-fired and turf-fired power plants; his further views on their effects on the environment and on Ireland's capability to meet EU climate change mitigation targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31965/16]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Burning coal is one of the most irresponsible and damaging forms of energy production in the world. Electricity generated from burning peat releases at least twice as much greenhouse gases as coal. That said, the ESB’s coal-fired power station at Moneypoint is Ireland’s largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions. If we are to meet our binding climate change mitigation targets - I am referring to the 2030 ones, as we will fall well short of the 2020 ones by 12 million tonnes of CO2 - we must cease destroying the environment with these immensely damaging power generation methods and move wholeheartedly into wind, solar and tidal energy. What are the Minister’s plans for these areas?

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The extent of the challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with our EU and international commitments, is well understood by the Government. This is reflected in the national policy position on climate action and low carbon development, published in April 2014, and now underpinned by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, enacted in December 2015. The national policy position provides a high-level policy direction for the adoption and implementation by the Government of plans to enable the State to move to a low-carbon economy by 2050.

Statutory authority for the plans is set out in the Act.

The national policy position establishes a long-term objective to pursue substantial decarbonisation of the energy, transport and built environment sectors, as well as pursuing carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land sector. Transition to low carbon electricity generation will be key to successfully meeting this objective. Work is ongoing in this context in my Department, with the development of sectoral mitigation measures for the electricity generation sector for inclusion in the first statutory national mitigation plan. The first iteration of this plan will place particular focus on tracking implementation of measures already under way, putting in place the necessary measures to address the challenge to 2020 and also on planning ahead to ensure that beyond this appropriate policies and measures are in place.

A Programme for a Partnership Government sets out the commitment to establish a national dialogue on climate change. There is also a specific commitment that the national dialogue on climate change will identify the most suitable replacement low carbon power generation technology in anticipation of Moneypoint, the only coal burning plant in Ireland, coming to the end of its operating life in its current configuration. In this regard, my Department is reviewing existing analysis and studies carried out on Moneypoint in preparation for an initial discussion within the framework of the national dialogue on climate change, which will examine a range of issues, including technology options, security of supply, competitiveness and sustainability. My Department is currently assessing how best to optimise the processes that will underpin the national dialogue, including scale and format.

The White Paper on energy policy sets out a vision to decarbonise the energy sector in Ireland in the coming decades which will ultimately involve moving away from higher emission fuel types to lower emissions fuels or zero carbon renewable energy technologies.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Ireland more than most countries in Europe appears to be always putting things on the long finger and deciding to do things tomorrow or another time. We do not even meet our EU regulations. The recent decision to delay the implementation of the EU air pollution limits for Moneypoint is illustrative of the level of willingness to tackle these issues. I am sure the Minister is aware of the recent court decision on Edenderry and the likelihood that Bord na Móna's planning permission will be overturned because An Bord Pleanála did not take on board the fact that 1.2 million tonnes per annum of peat was being burned at that plant, which information should have been included in the environmental assessment. I understand there are approximately 250 jobs at stake. Bord na Móna made over €50 million in 2014 and €33 million in 2015. As such, it has money to invest in renewable energy. Has the installation of solar panels in the bogs been considered? Has a cost benefit analysis been done on the possibility of moving in that direction? There is much talk about plans but we are not doing a whole lot yet and so we are missing our targets.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Theory is one thing, practice is another. To put things in perspective, there are 1,443 jobs in the midlands associated with Bord na Móna and the three peat-fired power stations in Lanesboro, Shannonbridge and Edenderry. The Edenderry plant is the first to come before the planning process. There are many families who are reliant on employment in the three plants involved. The maintenance of solar panels would involve only a handful of those people. What then are we to do with the remainder of the people? Do we throw them on the scrap heap? Are we to declare the midlands a no-go area in terms of employment? We are currently working on a bio-energy plan that will result in the conversion of the three plants to renewable sources of fuel, which will be biomass fuel.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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That is unsustainable.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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This will allow for the maintenance of existing job levels in the region and create a cash crop for local farmers. We are trying to sustain employment. There is no point talking about closing plants until such time as we have in place an alternative. There reaction thus far to proposals put forward by environmental groups has been negative because people tend to forget that we are talking about human beings, families and lives. We need to take a balanced approach to this issue. As Minister, I will take a responsible approach to it. I will work to decarbonise our energy system but I will do so in a responsible manner and not in a way that results in 1,443 families being thrown on the scrap heap.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Nobody is asking the Minister to throw families on the scrap heap. In regard to his comment that what we are talking about is people's lives, according to a report by the European Environmental Bureau, alongside others, the delay in dealing with the problems of air pollution at Moneypoint is having a direct impact on the health of asthmatic children and results in scores of premature deaths. If the Minister believes that the only employment this Government can provide in the midlands is in the area of peat burning then we need a change of Government. There are many other ways to create jobs. When will this Government start investing in indigenous industry? I was approached recently by a number of young people who were trying to start up a business in Ireland. There is little support provided for start-up business in this country, except in the case of multinationals and so on. Young people are not being helped to start businesses. I do not need a lecture from the Minister on energy. His argument is that as long as there are jobs involved we are not going to deal with the environmental impact of this industry. None of us wants to see people unemployed. For the life of me I do not understand the attitude to employment in Ireland. We are totally dependent on foreign direct investment, the companies involved in which appear to locate wherever they want. We would probably not be able to get them to locate in the midlands. When will this Government start investing in young people trying to start up businesses in Ireland?

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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As I said earlier, I am working with Bord na Móna to put in place a bio-energy plan that will create alternative employment.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Biomass is unsustainable.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Let me finish. I am working with Bord na Móna to put an alterative system of employment in place in the midlands. I have already made decisions in that regard. We will be announcing a consultation document on the renewable heat incentive scheme before the end of this year, which will create demand for bio-energy crops in this country and will build up the capacity needed to convert these peat-fired stations from peat to biomass. The installation of solar panels across the midlands will not create jobs. We need to put in place a sustainable plan that benefits the local communities involved. It needs to be accepted that this is about communities and families. We need to come forward with sustainable solutions rather than suggestions to close three peat-fired power stations.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Nobody is suggesting that. That is unfair.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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In regard to the Deputy's suggestion, I invite him to visit the midlands, including Deputy Troy's constituency and my constituency, to talk to the people and hear what they have to say about it.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Okay. There was €90 million spent on a biomass plant in Mayo. It has been abandoned.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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It has not been abandoned.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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There are opportunities not only in Mayo but across every other county in Ireland. As Minister, I am prepared to support the development of the renewable energy sector, on which I will not be lectured by Deputy Wallace.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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I am only trying to make a couple of points to the Minister.