Energy is not just about power; it is about sovereignty, security, just transition, the future we leave to our children and fairness to communities. I come from the county of Kerry, which has 15% of the turbines with only 8% of the land mass. I saw the troubles over the years when what Deputy Fitzmaurice described as vultures came in and there was a lot of division in communities. In Sinn Féin, we stand for ending the rip-off and cutting household energy bills, for delivering true Irish energy independence and not a system that currently prioritises the corporate bottom line over the needs of the people. We want to do it in a different way from the Government. Under successive Governments we have had an energy system that treats energy as a commodity, that is, a product to be bought and sold for profit rather than a public good and that is wrong. Energy is essential for every home, business and community. It should serve the people, not shareholders. We have a clear vision that our vast natural resources should create a national wealth for all. We are fortunate in this country that we have some of the best offshore and onshore wind resources in Europe. That means public and community ownership, proper consultation and fair democratic decision-making. It means reforming the energy market so that Government and regulators hold companies to account, not the other way around. It is a far cry from where we are currently. The Government has failed to plan and to provide the clear rules mentioned so many times by other speakers. A vacuum has been created by its complete dereliction of its duties on wind energy guidelines. As the current guidelines are from 2006, they are nearly 20 years old and in 2013, it was recognised that they were out of date. In 2019, updated guideline were produced but where are they now? They are still sitting on a shelf gathering dust. This is unacceptable to communities that deserve clarity. Wind energy providers also deserve certainty and guidelines to level the playing field. Without them, we have ambiguity, frustration, distrust and division. The Government and its supporters, some of whom were the loudest critics of these delays, cannot continue to leave everyone down. The updated guidelines must be published as soon as possible. To have a level playing field, we need proper rules and clarity. Sinn Féin recognises the uncertainty this situation has created for local communities. I do not think this Bill is the answer. In fairness to Deputy Stanley, he has himself said that he is not saying it is exactly what we need. It could halt the development of renewable energy or risk Irish energy security and could push bills up even higher at a time when Irish households already pay the highest energy prices in Europe. It could also block Ireland's energy independence and damage our ability to cut emissions and meet climate targets. We are committed to a different path that delivers Irish energy independence, cuts costs, reduces emissions and supports fairness for communities. We believe in renewable energy but it must be done right. It must be done democratically and for the people. The first step is the publication of the guidelines. I hope the Ministers will take that back to Cabinet and make sure they are delivered as soon as possible.

Sentiment score: 0.16