Renewable Energy Generation
Dail Éireann — 2023-11-16
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Catherine Connolly (IND), Galway West

As someone who supports what the Minister is talking about, I am frustrated. The Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, was present the last time I asked about this on 28 September. He stated that he would contact my office. I received an acknowledgement but nothing with details of the analysis. Where RESS 1 is concerned, I have been told repeatedly that seven community-led projects were successful and four remained. I would like to know what happened to the other three. What were the difficulties? Where is the analysis? I would like to see it. Where RESS 2 is concerned, eight communities were successful. How many of those remain? Are they all solar or are other forms of generation involved? What are the possibilities? I agree with Deputy O’Rourke that this is an exciting area. It is a way to both power and empower communities. I think of my city of Galway and the areas of, for example, Claddagh and Shantalla, which could be self-sufficient.
I would like to see the analysis, so will the Minister depart from the script and tell me how removing community projects from the auction system, which I welcome, was decided? Give me the evidence, please.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2023-11-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:52:24+00:00
Sitting date: 2023-11-16