John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last week, the EU proposed and approved new targets for renewable energy. We want to hit 40% in the EU by 2030. That is very ambitious. Two elements stand out to me where Ireland is concerned. First, the EU wants to increase the number of cross-border energy connections. Second, it wants to accelerate the approval process for renewable energy projects like wind farms. This will be beneficial to Ireland. The European legislative process has just started and Ireland should use it to look for further funding from the EU to supercharge our wind farm efforts, including offshore. There is a funding pot for this. It is called the Trans-European Network for Energy, TEN-E. Under it, approximately €5 billion can be availed of by EU member states. It recently updated its criteria. One criterion is offshore wind. Recently, the EU placed Ireland in the North Sea offshore grid, NSOG, priority corridor. Given that the EU is looking at Ireland as a potential wind champion and other member states like Germany and France do not have the same capacity to produce offshore wind energy as we do, this is a good opportunity for Ireland to apply for funding from the EU to supercharge our wind farm plans and concepts. This might not only allow us to hit our own wind energy targets by 2030, but also to sell excess wind energy to member states that need it. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has been good in coming to this House multiple times to discuss the range of climate action initiatives that are being worked on. I am calling for a debate on Ireland's wind strategy at some stage, in particular as it relates to offshore wind energy. That would be helpful for all Senators.