Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raise the damning State of the Climate report, released today by the World Meteorological Organisation. It clearly outlined that four critical climate indicators broke records. Greenhouse gas concentrations, ocean heat, ocean acidification and global sea levels are worsening. We know that extreme weather has wreaked a heavy toll on human lives and led to billions of dollars in damages.

I raise this not only because it is a warning to all of us as legislators, but because yesterday we were due to hear the results of the renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, 2 auction in renewable energy, however, they were postponed. The results are due to be released on Friday and it is widely believed that they will show an increase in the cost of renewables. This is at a time when in the first RESS auction, Ireland already had the highest prices for renewable energy in the EU.

The renewable energy strategy in Ireland is not only critical to reducing our emissions but it is also critical to our green hydrogen strategy, whenever we get that. The stakeholders have repeatedly called for an interdepartmental stakeholder forum that will consult with stakeholders in renewable energy and identify the policy issues that are causing Ireland to have the highest renewable costs. We know planning delays is one of them, as is the cost of grid connections. I want to raise those concerns about the RESS 2 auction, but we also have concerns around battery storage. In Britain, battery storage is now displacing gas fuel burners. Whereas we have a grid that does not recognise multi-hour or multi-day battery storage on the grid, and we are introducing seven temporary gas powered stations to feed data centres.

We also have a ban on direct lines, which prevents renewable energy connecting directly to buildings. One only has to go up the road to see direct lines in use. Belfast City Airport is being powered by its own solar farm, whereas down here we cannot even have solar panels on the rooftops because we are waiting on the planning guidelines.

We need to get our act together on renewable energy. Today's report is a wake-up call for all of us. I am seriously concerned about the RESS 2 auction, and I would like the Deputy Leader to organise a debate with the Minister responsible for climate action about how he will tackle the cost of renewables in this country.