Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome Deputy Grealish from Galway and Councillor Geraldine Donohue from Galway County Council. I also welcome the Minister of State. My colleague, Senator McDowell, has set out clearly the background to the Bill. I will focus on some issues. I was reminded when considering the Bill of the then Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, addressing a major conference in Galway on 14 April 2022. He commented on climate change and renewable energy. Stakeholders from the entire country work there. The then Taoiseach said the report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned the average annual global greenhouse gas emissions were at their highest level in human history and that the window of opportunity before us to avoid the climate catastrophe was closing in on us all quickly. He said that we know how energy must be renewable. That was his focus. It was renewable energy.

We know that renewable electricity can not only help to deliver the necessary reduction in emissions and help us reach our targets but it can also provide new jobs, new green opportunities and a more resilient, secure and sustainable energy system for future generations to come. The Minister of State is fully committed to all of this. This is why we are offering this important legislation. I call for common sense to prevail to allow the wind to blow and the power to flow from the turbines of Derrybrien on the hills of Slieve Aughty in County Galway. I also call on the Government to use its powers and resources to explore all alternatives to secure the ESB wind farm infrastructure at Derrybrien. Rising energy costs and concerns about fossil fuels warrant the retention of the wind turbines that are in situand are functioning in Derrybrien. Abandoning the ESB wind project in Derrybrien at a time of national energy crisis would be sheer madness.The programme for Government put together by the three party coalition Government clearly stated its objective to promote wind energy and associated infrastructure and investment, and to protect that infrastructure and investment. Our Bill seeks to do exactly that. Let us not destroy the capability to provide green energy - a Green Minister of State advocating green energy. I have so far not seen any Green Senators in this House for this important debate. Let us not dismantle the 70 wind turbines capable of powering more than 40,000 homes. To do so will require planning permission and appropriate assessment. Galway County Council is the local planning authority. That is an important point I ask the Minister of State to address. The challenge is to find a solution to the long-running saga of Derrybrien. Vital wind energy with the capacity to feed power into the national grid cannot be destroyed. Yes, there are questions to be asked of the ESB. Yes, there are questions to be asked of the planning authority and there are questions to be asked by all the people involved. What we seek to do is address the situation, accept where we are now and move forward. I commend the Bill to the House.