Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps being taken by him to increase the number of wind farms here, to increase the productivity of these wind farms and to move to export wind energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29241/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Ireland has a 2020 target for the share of renewable energy in all of energy consumption across the electricity, heat and transport sectors. This is 16% as set out in the Renewable Energy Directive. Our intention is to meet this through around 40% renewable electricity, 10% renewable transport and 12% renewable heat which together total 16% overall. Ireland has been increasing the number of windfarms significantly in recent times. There is currently approximately 1600MW of wind connected to the system.

The Gate 3 system developed by the Commission for Energy Regulation which involves grid connection offers of 3900MW to renewable generation, the bulk of which have been made to wind generators, along with Grid 25 and its implementation plans being rolled out by EirGrid, are the processes in place that underpin the expansion of wind electricity in line with the achievement of having 40% of our electricity consumption from renewable resources by 2020.

The Renewable Energy Directive provides for co-operation mechanisms between countries where Inter-Governmental agreements between countries can be put in place to facilitate renewable trade. As set out in the Renewable Energy Strategy published in late May, this is an area on which exploratory work is underway, including under the auspices of the British Irish Council. I am meeting Minister Hendry, my British counterpart later this week to discuss these matters further. It is important to ensure that any inter-governmental agreement entered into delivers economic benefits to the Irish state.