Results 1-17 of 17 for long segment:5861316

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Michael Colreavy: ...me, but two weeks ago in response to a question he said he would produce a Green Paper on energy. A Green Paper is the vision; policy and legislation follows. Therefore, the companies are a very long way ahead of Government on this issue. That frightens me. What is the point in introducing policy and legislation if the horse has already bolted? I do not understand what is happening in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Michelle Mulherin: Vice Chairman, I have been here from the beginning and other speakers were given ample time. I ask that he bear with me a little longer. My point is that we need new thinking on this issue, and education has a role in that. We must have more engagement in primary schools, such as the green flag initiatives, to teach pupils about the environment, the importance of conserving water and that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

...committee down to our Mountlucas wind farm, which is currently under construction. It is a rather good template for what a large-scale wind farm, developed in post-industrial peatland that is a long way away from anywhere, looks like. There is some habitation but it is probably the most sparsely populated area of the midlands. Deputy Murphy will be familiar with it because it is in west...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Catherine Murphy: There are some issues relating to the bogs themselves. Bord na Móna held a briefing in Buswell's Hotel not long ago during which I asked Mr. D'Arcy about the hydrological assessment of the bogs. In parts of the UK they have done some work on wetlands, trying to make them accumulate floodwaters so that they do not end up very quickly in rivers and then flood towns. Bogs or wetlands...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

...policies also. With regard to fuel importing, I would point out that in Saudi Arabia, where I worked and where there are 27 million people, all food is imported apart from a tiny amount. For as long as Saudi Arabia can afford to buy food, there is not really a problem. We export of the order of €150 million worth of farm and life science products and export approximately...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

...the end of the relevant period. There is no other reason for and no ulterior motive behind our signing up to these option agreements. On the subsidy for the export project, as we are seeking a long-term project in the United Kingdom, the UK energy consumer would underwrite the long-term off-take agreement for this project. I confirm that there is no cost to Irish taxpayers for the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

...'s overall land bank is under environmental designation but we avoided those areas in the context of identifying sites in which we were interested. On the land agreements, the process is quite long. We approach a landowner and explain the potential for wind development on his or her lands. There is usually quite an amount of back and forth communication between our land team, based in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Brian Stanley: ...they support proper statutory regulations regarding the siting of wind farms? Communities feel the guidelines are a little elastic and that they can be pulled north, south, east or west or be made as long or short as one wishes. There is a feeling that the new guidelines might not be much better than the old ones. There are planning regulations for most other things so how would Bord na...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

...one spec and selling occurs afterwards. Projects like this export programme will not proceed until all the necessary binding contracts are put in place, and one of the most important elements is a long-term off-take agreement. One should not end up in a position like we did with the housing boom. The Deputy also asked if we are reducing our own emissions. This is an export opportunity...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

...will be fully funded by the UK, with no cost to the Irish taxpayer. In regard to the guaranteed price for electricity, one of the things we will require to build a project such as this is a long-term off-take agreement, which will be for 15 to 20 years rather than 50 years. Much in this regard is dependent on the negotiations, which will be outside our hands.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Denis Landy: ...will the taxpayer be satisfied that Bord na Móna's strategy has changed and how can it square the clear statement from the other companies in the field that they do not intend to run these projects in the long term but to flip and sell them? The companies' main investors are not from this country and have no community interest in sustainability which Bord na Móna claims it has....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Ms Agnes Doolan: This will be my final sentence. I came a long way today from west Offaly. Dr. Colette Bonner of the Department of Health wrote to Mr. Frank Gallagher of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on 23 December. She told him that there was a consistent cluster of symptoms related to wind turbine syndrome among a number of people in the vicinity of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

...Ireland is the UK's 2020 targets. There is nothing post-2020. If we are to participate in the opportunity we must be able to develop the export opportunity over the next year or two. There is a long lead time for the development of a project of the scale and size we anticipate. The longest lead time item for such a project is the underground cabling, which must be ordered three years...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Barry Cowen: ...in place at the time. As part of the process, should there be an independent economic review of wind energy seeking an input which might give us an indication of the impact on energy prices and the long-term sustainability of supply to the national grid? Do the witnesses agree that all counties should have wind energy strategies within their remit as part of their county development...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I welcome the witnesses from the various sectors to the meeting. We should have had the debate long ago. People have many concerns, which is the reason for today’s meeting. My first question is for Element Power. Reference was made to a lot of land lease options that have already been made in regard to its proposals. One is with the semi-State agency, Coillte. Could someone...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

...to date. We found engaging directly with community groups to be very successful. We try to explain what is involved in the project, the stage it is at and at the fact that there is still a long process prior to the development of the project. The groups range from local voluntary groups, development groups, sporting organisations, local societies and anyone who wants to talk to our team...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation and Export: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Michael McCarthy: ...as to make him, her or it identifiable. The opening statement and any document provided for the committee may be published on its website once the meeting has concluded. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to...