Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his target for ocean energy technology; the mega wattage of ocean energy connected to the grid; the number of applications received; the amount of the €26 million announced for ocean energy that was spent in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3433/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Ocean Energy Development Unit (OEDU) was established in Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) in 2008 and full implementation of the Ocean Energy programme commenced in 2009. Government has set an ambitious target of 500MW of ocean energy by 2020.

Ocean energy is currently at the research and development stage globally. There is no ocean energy device as yet connected to the Irish grid. SEI is working in conjunction with ESBI, the Marine Institute and other stakeholders to establish a grid connected ocean energy test facility off Annagh Head County Mayo. The test site will be a key enabler for the development of an ocean energy industry in Ireland. An exploratory foreshore licence was granted to SEI in September 2009, which has enabled site investigation works to commence at the planned test site location. Progressing the test site is a key priority for 2010 in order to ensure that Ireland is demonstrably a competitive player in the European ocean energy arena.

SEI, under the Ocean Energy Prototype Development Fund, has approved funding support totalling €4.35m for 12 projects from over 30 expressions of interest received. The funding support is designed to stimulate the commercial development and deployment of ocean energy devices that can generate renewable electricity. Additional projects are being assessed at present.

The Ocean Energy Package announced in 2008 provided funding of €26m over three years. €7m was allocated to the Ocean Energy Programme for 2009 of which €3.764m was spent, reflecting the fact that work to progress the test site was at a very preliminary stage during 2009 and the approved prototype funding support is being disbursed over the two years 2009 and 2010. €7.8m has been allocated to the Ocean Energy Programme for 2010 and it is expected that this funding will be fully expended.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he continues to be opposed to nuclear power; the overall percentage of energy used that was imported in 2008 and 2009; the amount of same that was from nuclear power; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3426/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I have consistently encouraged a debate on nuclear power in Ireland as I believe that informed debate is fundamental to ensuring informed policy making.

For my own part, I have stated firmly that I do not see nuclear power as the answer to Ireland's energy needs. Ireland's position on nuclear energy is shared by several EU Member States. Article 194 of the Lisbon Treaty affirms the right of Member States to determine their choice of energy resources.

Ireland's comparative advantage in renewable electricity resources should see such power supplies rather than nuclear developing over the next decade.

Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) is responsible for developing and maintaining comprehensive national and sectoral statistics for energy production, transformation and end-use.

The latest available statistics on energy consumption and fuel mix relate to 2008; statistics for 2009 will be published later this year. SEI's publication "Energy in Ireland 1990 to 2008", which is available on SEI's website, states that energy imports accounted for 89% of Ireland's energy requirements in 2008. SEI has advised that imported electricity accounted for 0.4% of these energy imports.

Ireland imports electricity from Northern Ireland, which is in turn linked to the UK electricity market via the Moyle Interconnector. While nuclear generation forms a part of the overall UK generation fuel mix, I am advised that it is not technically possible to distinguish the flow of electricity across interconnectors by reference to the original source of supply or generation.