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offshore and onshore wind projects, solar farm financing, grid expansion and interconnectors, battery storage systems for renewables, investment platforms for energy developers and funds combining wind and grid-scale storage. Then there is the building of the energy retrofit programmes. There is a whole range of investments

locally based enterprises such as the Aran Island Energy Co-operative, which is working towards making the Aran Islands self-sufficient for energy by harnessing wind, wave and light. These are all supported under my Department’s policies. They are about transforming communities, offering opportunity and hope, inspiring … transition and deliver on climate action targets. This includes ensuring social enterprises can access relevant circular economy funding opportunities and avail of renewable energy and bioeconomic opportunities. The fourth objective, in respect of national and international engagement, will focus on actions that will develop and deepen our engagement

hold such events. Do not get me wrong: Arklow will be transformed in the next decade with huge investment in the green energy park, offshore wind turbines and great progress on the greenway. However, as it stands we do not have entertainment venues. If there were

taxation measures on energy companies. It requires using the full power of the State, through its investment arms, to properly expand renewable energy, including offshore wind, without delay. It requires actively promoting active travel and public transport, not increasing public transport fares as the Government has. Most importantly

diesel. These contractors and operators are involved in building houses and roads, sewerage and water schemes, industrial units and factories, and in energy projects involving wind, solar, the provision of electricity and connectivity. They work in the maintenance of our roads, water systems and all the services. With

were in a hurry. It should not have been closed down until we had at least made some preparations or had enough wind power or energy from other sources to replace it, although I fervently believe there was nothing wrong with generating electricity from turf or with cutting

events of the last few weeks have exposed just how scandalous it is that we have not added a single watt of energy from offshore wind to our grid in 20 years. Our most abundant renewable resource remains largely untapped offshore. We are certainly not going to reach

should consider introducing new, maybe emergency, legislation if existing powers are insufficient to deal with it. This further underscores the need for wind and solar energy in Ireland. I call on all sides to de-escalate the dangerous situation and move towards an end to the conflict while

with advancements in technology. I am receiving representations from every corner of my constituency in relation to the inadequacy of guidelines for wind farms. Renewable energy is absolutely essential

housing is looking at guidelines and will bring forward a national planning statement that will create guidelines and frameworks for both onshore wind and solar energy. The entire objective is to balance energy security and sustainability with ensuring development does not impinge on residential amenity or people

water infrastructure - we should be front-loading it. Similarly, we need massive investment in redefining the electricity grid, in investing in offshore wind and wave energy, and in putting more into R and D. We are in a kind of wartime situation. We need to look 15 years

when all the turbines are going and the grid cannot take it. That is the nature of the wind: it is intermittent. It is a brilliant source of energy. I support it but it has to be done with other sources. We cannot put all of our eggs … highest electricity prices in the EU. That has not been very good for customers and householders. I fully support using renewable energies. I fully support using wind. One speakers said I stated there were flaws in the Bill. I did not say that; I said people might want

movement from Europe on long-term energy security. I have criticised the Government constantly for not investing in long-term offshore wind, tidal and wave energy, storage capacity off the west coast for conversion to hydrogen and battery storage. We could be a massive exporter of energy

problem with it being temporary or emergency, he should accept the amendments. The Minister mentioned renewable energy and the progress that, he says, has been made with offshore wind. However, in our view and in the view of some Government people also, the Government and previous Governments have … pathway to energy security but we are still vulnerable because of the failure to invest over the years in offshore wind, in renewables and in our energy future. As we move towards a united Ireland, we need to have an energy system that is destined to be used

risk. Data centres now guzzle nearly half of our renewable energy production. Meanwhile, we are, right now, decommissioning our only offshore wind farm, the greatest renewable energy resource that we have. This Government is fuelling its own climate and energy disaster and putting an existential economic, environmental

spend. The Deputy surely knows that. What is happening with that funding is that it is being invested in people, housing, energy and infrastructure and offshore wind projects. That is what ISIF is doing - solar farm financing, grid expansion and interconnectors, battery storage systems for renewables, building energy … where the investments are happening and much more than that. However, the Deputy seems to misunderstand that, or is she saying we should wind up the funds - the Future Ireland Fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund? The Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund is helping to fund

giving ESB Networks the financial capacity to invest at scale. Grid constraints are now one of the biggest barriers to renewable energy projects. Developers of wind and solar farms across the country are waiting years for connections because of bottlenecks. Without new investment, Ireland will simply not meet … They are being asked to fund long-term infrastructure that will primarily enable new industrial and commercial growth. At a time of record energy poverty, where over a quarter of households have fallen into arrears in the past two years, that is deeply problematic. A modern electricity system

addition to our support for the renewable energy sector, particularly with wind and solar, we are also enhancing our support for biogas. The Deputy will know that the Government has a strategy on that. We will see seven or eight projects in the very near future coming into … growing with significant demands. We want to move away from using gas to generate electricity. We want to capture more of the renewable energy off our shoreline and utilise biogas as an appropriate means to further displace the importation of fossil fuels

technical or decision-making resources necessary for a rapid approval of a project or programme. The Bill specifically identifies critical infrastructure in the energy, transport and water sectors as a priority. This infrastructure is necessary to underpin all other development in the State from housing, which … reviews has been mentioned. The number of such reviews has increased substantially in recent years. We are all familiar with that. Wind farms and renewable energy have been mentioned. We have been all been at meetings where objectors, who have the right to object, say that their approach

medical cards but cannot afford health insurance. We need to bring in a windfall tax to be imposed on the large energy companies, including the wind farm owners where there are high profits, once profits go over a certain amount. That money should be used and ploughed into

also all of the skills that go with the digital agenda. We are entering an AI age. There is also the energy revolution with offshore wind and all of the opportunities that come with this. There are also healthcare and therapy needs, and we are scaling

others towards that end because some significant projects need to be progressed in the interests of the common good be it energy, water, particularly offshore wind and so forth

European Union target. One of the most effective routes for us to try to achieve targets is through renewable energy, be it offshore wind, onshore wind or solar. There are competing interests against that. We are not achieving it at the level we should. Equally, agriculture is extremely

competitiveness, as colleagues said earlier in their comments, we have to address the infrastructural deficits we have, develop our new energy resources with offshore wind, improve our water infrastructure and scale up housing provision and transport investment. I listened to the Taoiseach last week on “Morning Ireland” after

planet on which we live. Put simply, we need to generate a hell of a lot more renewable energy than we do at present, and wind is probably one of the best resources in that regard. Equally, and most importantly, is the fact that communities are brought along … they are brought along in our energy transition. They have to have a seat at the table. We obviously need to have minimum setback distances. Let me be absolutely clear about this - we also desperately need to update the guidelines on wind turbine development. I encourage the Minister