Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Members who contributed to the Order of Business today. Senator Casey spoke about the recent auction for offshore wind, which was considered a success and will provide energy for 2.5 million homes. The Senator is correct to say that we had the opportunity a decade ago to be a global leader in this but we lagged behind. However, we are getting going now and we are open for business, which is a great thing to be able to say. It is great to see the likes of Wicklow getting a successful project with more to come. I look on with jealousy because we did not get the same level of interest or support for the west coast just yet. Apparently it is too windy for wind turbines at the moment and the technology is not quite there. I would disagree but it will come eventually. We now have the opportunity to be a net exporter of wind energy and it will be fantastic for Ireland when we manage to get the technology and the scale up to where we need it to be. It is good news. I wish those communities well. There is great community support for these initiatives, which is really important. The situation is nothing like it was with the onshore wind turbines. This has received great support. It is important to ensure fishing and coastal communities are properly compensated if and when there is some disruption to their jobs and livelihoods. The Senator is also correct to point to the potential restrictions on planning and on the Marine Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, that is newly set up and the board of which is being configured. Moving forward, the Minister should provide clarity to ensure the planning process can deal with this now, because it is significant.

Senator Mullen spoke about the now infamous article in The Irish Timeson fake tan being a form of cultural appropriation. It was a ridiculous article anyway. Many Irish people wear fake tan, and each to their own. However, it does raise wider concerns that have been raised by other Members. Senator Malcolm Byrne has been raising the issue for quite some time now around artificial intelligence.