Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is welcome to the House. I compliment him on his informative contribution and for providing great clarity on the Bill, which is very much required. We are in unprecedented times, without a shadow of a doubt. This legislation is what we require, not for this winter but for the next, to make sure we have security of generation capacity, which is very welcome. Such security is required in the market place now.

The potential we have over the next 12 months in microgeneration is also important. We need to be promoting this as best we can. I refer to the proposal on solar panels. There was a briefing in west Cork yesterday about the potential most agricultural sheds have to tie into that project. Over the next 12 months, an important part of the work is that we make sure the capacity of these units can be used so that we can limit the drawing of power from the grid. If we were to do that, hopefully it would generate some needed capacity and reduce the shortfall nationwide.

I refer to the all-Ireland dynamic we have with the industry. Are there any proposals from the Northern Ireland regarding capacity? We are in a unique scenario in that we have all-Ireland capacity for energy generation. Will the Minister of State provide an update on what is proposed in the northern part of the island regarding capacity issues?