Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

—— or indeed the Labour Party for that matter.

I would like to address some of the infrastructural improvements in the areas of green energy power generation, broadband, and water treatment and distribution in which the Government has invested and the results of which can be clearly seen throughout the country. Building and maintaining our energy infrastructure is a key strategic priority for the Government. The most essential part of that infrastructure will be the development of our electricity grid to increase the security and reliability of electricity supplies, improve competitiveness by connecting us to the UK and Europe and enable the uptake of dramatically increased renewable energy.

The key role in this development will be played by EirGrid, which has set out the roadmap for the development of Ireland's electricity transmission network for the next 17 years in the recently published GRID25. Overall investment of €4 billion in the infrastructure over a 17-year period in GRID25 will double the capacity of the national grid and allow for major increases in the amounts of renewable energy we can take on to the system. The upgrade of our grid will mean that citizens, businesses and international investors can be assured of the reliability of Ireland's electricity supply. This is essential in a world where we are competing for international investment.

EirGrid is proceeding on target with its east-west interconnector due to be in place by 2012. This project will contribute to security of supply and competitiveness as well as providing increased potential for the export of wind-generated electricity. Following Government consent, EirGrid has signed a contract to construct the interconnector, once the relevant planning consents are obtained. The EU also recently signalled its strong support for this project with an allocation of up to €110 million for the east-west interconnector. As a young energy official in the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of the Taoiseach in the early 1980s, I remember trying to advance this project, which has taken 30 years to come to fruition. Increased North-South interconnection is also critical for increased security of supply and will play an important role in the context of the all-island electricity market.

The ESB has a strong and proud history of creating much of the infrastructure which has underpinned economic and social development in our country. In its strategic framework to 2020, the ESB prioritised investment in sustainable energy, particularly in the areas of emissions reductions, renewables, energy efficiency and smart metering. The company intends to halve its carbon emissions within 12 years and achieve carbon net-zero by 2035.

Bord Gáis Éireann also made significant investment in the development of a natural gas transmission and distribution network. This includes the completion of the North-South gas pipeline which linked the gas markets North and South on the island. The natural gas network has been extended to a considerable number of towns to their great benefit. It continues to invest in energy infrastructure in the context of its expanding role as an energy company. I agree with what Senator O'Toole said on the subject of bringing natural gas ashore on the west coast. We live in a democracy where the rule of law should apply and all procedures have been abided with.

Sustainable Energy Ireland plays a key role in the Government's investment in the development of renewable energy. The renewable energy Ireland proposed by Fine Gael would merely be a rebranding of this already very successful body, which runs programmes in both renewable energy and energy efficiency, and has a substantial complement of applied energy research programmes. It has already established an ocean energy development unit, which is funding a number of different elements of the Government's ocean energy strategy. Senator Boyle updated us on this and tidal energy.This includes an industry programme designed to ensure that maximum use is made of the opportunity presented by our ocean energy resources and a dedicated grid connected test site.

SEI energy efficiency schemes include the €50 million home energy savings scheme, an insulation programme designed to assist home owners in making their dwellings more energy efficient. I was somewhat puzzled to hear Senator Cannon refer to the views of the president of Taiwan on the subject. This Government, or any previous Government, does not recognise any such person with that title or indeed political entity.

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is developing plans to enable 10% of all vehicles in the transport fleet to be powered by electricity by 2020, which would represent 250,000 cars.

Senator Quinn raised the issue of nuclear energy. As I was once on a nuclear working group and on the atomic energy group in Brussels in the late 1970s, I have some familiarity with this question. I remain sceptical of its value in an Irish context. From an economic point of view there is the relative smallness of the energy market and major safety concerns still remain. When it was last raised, I remember the previous Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, expressing puzzlement. One could see that what was going through his mind was the question of in which constituency it would be proposed to locate a nuclear power station.