Natural Gas Grid
Dail Éireann — 2021-12-14
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Ossian Smyth (GP), Dún Laoghaire

We have an energy challenge because there is a major transition in which we are moving away from fossil fuels towards a low-carbon economy and renewables. Obviously, that is difficult to do. I agree with Deputy Bríd Smith that we should have installed offshore wind infrastructure ten years ago. When I see the great offshore wind farms built by Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium, I think that we should have built them also. We have a windy area around our country. We cannot go back in time, however. We have been in government for a year and we are building offshore wind facilities as fast as we possibly can.
On the Deputy's question as to whether we should have a national body to develop renewable energy, there will be considerable involvement by the State. The ESB has for a long time been building renewable energy facilities. Bord na Móna, Coillte and all such large State bodies will be significantly involved, as will EirGrid.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2021-12-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:49:58+00:00
Sitting date: 2021-12-14