John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 157: To ask the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide specific figures related to British financial support for the Irish wind farm industry; if this support will provide the funding necessary to continue development of the growing Irish renewable sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17754/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The British Irish Council agreed an All Islands Approach across Ireland and Britain to encourage commercial development of opportunities for generation and transmission, facilitating the cost-effective harnessing of the renewable energy resources available, increasing integration of their markets and improving security of supply.

In the fully liberalised energy markets that are already in place, it is up to the private sector to develop energy projects and there are no proposals to change this.

There is no UK financial support for the Irish wind industry. Financial supports will only be relevant in the context of developing a renewable electricity export market, where the electricity and the ability to measure the renewable value of that electricity towards EU renewable energy targets is being traded across jurisdictions. Details of any such proposals between Ireland and Britain remain to be worked out in the ongoing work programme.