Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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345. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a cost-benefit analysis of the proposal to export wind-generated electricity to Britain. [16510/14]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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A comprehensive cost benefit analysis (CBA) is nearing completion to determine if it is mutually beneficial for Ireland and the United Kingdom to enter an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to facilitate trade in renewable energy. The potential for investment, jobs and growth are among the matters under consideration. Ireland and the UK have made good progress on both States’ joint, innovative and ambitious work in the area of renewable energy trading since my signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey M.P. in January 2013. However, it is recognised that the economic, policy and regulatory complexities involved, and the key decisions yet to be taken by the UK, would make 2020 delivery very difficult to achieve given project lead times. For this reason, the shared work will focus on the longer term post 2020 period, and both countries will continue to work together on that basis. The cost benefit analysis is a key element of the work and remains confidential at this stage.