Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I second the proposal that the time limit for debate on the climate change Bill be extended to 8.30 p.m. In that context, the Bill is just a Bill. I spoke about this briefly last week, but I will say one more thing about it. Over the weekend we had evidence that the ESB is now installing emergency generating capacity in the Dublin docks because of problems and to avoid blackouts. If this plan is implemented, and if everyone's ambitions are to be met, we are moving towards a society that will be much more dependent on electricity. We have turned our back on fossil fuels - or are trying to. We have limited capacity for hydroelectric generation. Wind power, onshore and offshore, is opposed by interest groups all over the country, and we want to see when that infrastructure will be built to a satisfactory degree. However - and this is the most crucial thing - side by side with all the rhetoric about sustainable energy, we are building data centres. The Apple centre in Athenry, which has recently been revived, will, if fully built out, account for an increased demand for electricity of 8%. Five data centres would increase our electricity usage by 40%. There are two schools of thought in the Government. I say this to the Leader but I am not making a party political point. There are two departmental schools. One is that we cannot fail the multinationals, we must do what they want and we must build all these data centres because they are the future. The other school of thought is that of economic reality as it relates to electricity generation. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has said he is not ruling out nuclear power. If nuclear power is necessary and is an essential part of the implementation of Government plans, we should be told so and there should be no more hiding behind statements such as "I am not ruling it out". It is either in or it is out. Let us hear which it is.