Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator McDowell in what he said about electricity. There will be more and more dependence on electricity. There will be more and more electric cars and electric bikes and more electric gadgets in houses, so there will be a huge dependency on electricity. Where will we get certainty in this regard?

I am delighted that the marine planning Bill is being published. It needs to be put in place, and I ask the Leader that it be brought forward, even if it has to be brought into this House first. It is crucial legislation that will lead to crucial pieces of infrastructure being brought forward, particularly along the west coast, where we have the highest wind speeds in Europe. There is also the problem of parking and charging points on streets in our cities and our main towns. The more electric cars we have the more problems we will have charging those cars. There will be less and less street space. We have seen the hospitality end of this, and I am delighted that that sector is getting more space. There is more space for bicycles and so on around our cities and towns. There will be a greater need for charging points going forward. Where will this start and where will it end? I would like the Leader to arrange for a debate, after the climate Bill has passed, on the practical issues that could arise such as what Senator McDowell has said about various proposed planning applications, the issue I have raised with charging points and parking spaces for cars and so on. I hope the Leader will arrange a debate on those practical issues in the near future.