Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

To take up Senator Mary Ann O'Brien's comment on wind energy, the only announcement made last year was on a memorandum of understanding between this country and Britain on exports of wind energy. Last Friday the United Kingdom withdrew from discussions on progressing the memorandum to an intergovernmental agreement. That has caused confusion in local communities because the previous Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources advised the public that the expansion of the grid was necessary to advance the export of wind energy. As there is now no agreement on exporting wind energy, there is no market and there will be no wind farms. The question that now arises is whether EirGrid will be allowed to spend almost €4 billion of the taxpayers' money to build a grid that is no longer necessary. Communities across the country have been so outraged and upset by EirGrid's proposals that 35,000 people made submissions to the company. Will these communities get an answer to this question or will we continue in the vein of talking from both sides of our mouths? I ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister to come to the House to provide clarity on this issue.