Will the Minister of State provide an update on the private wires policy?
Sentiment score: 0.00
The Minister of State can speak off the cuff.
Sentiment score: 0.00
In support of my colleague Deputy Ó Cearúil, I think we need to explore nuclear as a potential option. We are all very supportive, for instance, of the Celtic interconnector between Ireland and France, where there is the possibility that we will be obtaining some of our energy from France. Last year, up to 68% of all of France's energy was generated by nuclear power. If we acquire energy from Scotland, similarly, some of that is going to be generated by nuclear. The debate on nuclear has moved on. I totally understand that in the past we had safety concerns but as a cleaner energy source, while I accept there are issues around how we may dispose of some of the waste, it is something that needs to be considered. I back my colleague in that we really do need to have a debate on it.
Sentiment score: 0.31
This relates to the question of energy demand and how we meet it and the importance of progressing as quickly as possible with the private wires policy and indeed the private wires Bill. I welcome the commitment in July by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, that he is going to progress on this. However, it is now of the essence that we move quickly. He did say it would be priority legislation. I hope the Minister of State can indicate a timeframe to the House today because we know about the demands for energy and we need to have movement on it as quickly as possible.
Sentiment score: 0.38
The Minister of State knows how urgent this is. I am particularly thinking in terms of industrial demand and whether we can connect solar farms or wind farms into private industry or on the commercial side. In the development of our digital infrastructure, including data centres, it is critical that we move on this. I even suggest this in regard to housing because electricity supply is becoming a problem. A developer in my constituency who is ready to build homes came to me recently and said the only thing holding him up is the fact that ESB Networks is telling him that there is not sufficient supply in the particular area. We need to set out ground rules and for the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities to be properly resourced. However, as a piece of legislation for this country's long-term economic development, this is essential. We need to see it enacted before next summer.
Sentiment score: -0.04
It is critical. When we have a number of companies that are ready to build that infrastructure, we need to facilitate them. We do not need them to be held up in the planning process for long periods. We need that private infrastructure to complement the State infrastructure as soon as possible.
Sentiment score: 0.03