Barry Heneghan
Dublin Bay North · Independent · Ireland
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an bPáirtí an Lucht Oibre. This highlights what many families are experiencing right now. Many people have been in contact with me. Even today, I met parents who were under enormous pressure because of the cost of uniforms, books, transport and school activities.”
“I refer to the hundreds of vacant spaces over shops in Dublin, the capital city in which I grew up. I welcome the above-the-shop grant but could we re-examine it in terms of microcompanies or SMEs availing of that grant? It can be difficult for them to avail of the above-the-shop grant.”
“They deserve to know how that supplier was selected, whether public procurement guidance has been followed and why students cannot use an equivalent device that they may already own. Technology undoubtedly has an important role in education. I do not dispute that fact. I came through education while the technology was developing.”
“Anois sa choiste fuinnimh táimid ag caint faoi plug-in solar. In 2024 there was a consultation done by the Department in which Bord Gáis Energy said that plug-in solar systems should be mounted on roofs where possible and hardwired into a dedicated circuit.”
“That contradiction leaves parents and students whom I represent caught in a middle ground. On one hand, the Department is saying they are not mandatory and, on the other, schools are telling parents that they must purchase one. I understand that the Minister of State was in north Dublin.”
“My granny drank raw milk and she lived to 98. We need to look into alternative ways to have locally sourced food. In that regard, I will point to what is happening at EU level and how it ties into this.”
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“While canvassing across my area, I have found there is sometimes a delay. We need to investigate how tenants can avail of cheaper solar panels for terraced houses. If work was done at one time, that would reduce the installation fee. People have also raised concerns with me regarding installation quotes, which can vary hugely. People want to know that they are getting fair value and want transparency and confidence. For anyone who is not familiar with plug-in solar, I have established what it involves. I welcome the comments of the Minister that it is under consideration. It would be a simple fix to help the people I represent. On batteries and smart meters, home batteries make solar more useful. Instead of using the low value of electricity produced during the day and losing it, people can hold it and use it when they need it most.”
“I raised this issue on a previous occasion and concerns were raised about the danger of plug-in solar. I am aware that without proper execution there is a possibility that if people used two 500 W or 800 W panels on a single extension lead plugged into a single socket, there could be risk of fire. We could have a government scheme to make sure my proposal is implemented properly. That would reduce bills immediately and if we introduced a grant, the payback period could be reduced and people could be helped immediately. Multiple studies have showed that, in conjunction with small scale batteries, solar panels can help people who are struggling with costs right now. I welcome the work done by the SEAI and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. Local authorities can also access support for energy upgrades.”
“We are not importing bees but if they go through Belfast Port, there is no point in legislation. We need to protect native Irish bees. I have nine colonies and they teach you a lot. We need a quick and decisive decision to help people with solar. There is strong public demand for solar panels across my constituency. I have referred to how apartment dwellers are blocked from being able to avail of reduced energy bills due to the fact that they do not have access to rooftops. The UK Government is fast-tracking this at the moment. The German Government has introduced a policy. All that is needed is a 500 W or 800 W solar panel on a balcony with an inverter plugged into a socket. People could use a battery in conjunction with that to help with the cost. I hope this will be looked into.”
“Happy Earth Day, with thanks to Deputy O'Gorman. I want to begin with solar, including plug-in solar. People always say that this Oireachtas has one of the highest numbers of Gaeilgeoirí, which it does. It also has one of the highest numbers of beekeepers, including me, Deputy Paul Lawless and Senator PJ Murphy. Bees are one of the most fascinating creatures in Ireland. They feature in our Brehon laws. There used to be the tradition of telling the bees, where you would tell your bees about the passing of a loved one. They were intrinsically linked with our history, but they need our help. I welcome the work of Deputy Lawless and Senator Murphy with the native Irish bee Bill. As a Dub, I raised this issue at my first ever meeting of the agriculture committee in respect of how we need to work in conjunction with the North on the Bill.”
“The NCSE is telling them that the Department is telling the council that it cannot sanction the classrooms. There are clearly communication issues. I ask for that to be looked into because the school needs it. It has the staff and it is willing to open it. Regarding SNAs across the country, I thank the hard-working men and women for everything that they do. I refer to the save our SNAs campaign. I welcome that there has been some engagement, especially with the Taoiseach confirming to me today in the Chamber that he will have no problem meeting with the campaign group. The alternative circular that they have developed is very good. It takes in all of the roles that SNAs perform in a real scenario. I thank the Minister for visiting those schools and for the hard work she has done.”
“Aontaím le go leor rudaí agus Teachtaí a labhair sa Teach seo inniu. Is gá go dtabharfaidh muid, mar Rialtas, an deis do gach uile páiste sa tír seo. Every single child deserves the chance to thrive. I welcome and thank the Minister for visiting schools across Dublin Bay North, including St. Michael's House Special National School, Baldoyle. St. Michael's House Special School Foxfield in Raheny would also love the Minister to visit. They are brilliant and hard-working staff. The Minister also visited Stapolin Education Together National School, which has run a very successful online campaign. Speaking to the principal of that school, they are being told that they cannot get a sanctioned modular building for a special education classroom.”
“Stapolin Educate Together National School in Baldoyle. I have spoken to those SNAs and some of them are involved in the Save our SNAs campaign, which has developed an alternative circular. Also, last week we had the residential placement for people with intellectual disabilities in north Dublin from the Before We Die campaign. I am sorry for raising two matters with the Taoiseach.”
“I welcome the improvements for disabilities that were highlighted but I would like to raise some issues I would love to be addressed as well. We would love some more attention in Dublin Bay North for Stapolin Educate Together National School. I have raised this multiple times. It has great staff. I visited again recently and it has a fantastic campaign on behalf of the children I represent in Dublin Bay North. The school is looking for a modular building so it can have a special class sanctioned. Speaking to the SNAs in that school-----”
“Last weekend, I listened to constituents in apartment dwellings who are struggling with the rising cost of energy, particularly single parents. A singular plug-in solar system would have a payback period, depending on grant size, of between 12 and 24 months. In conjunction, if we used 500 W and 800 W, it would really help people who do not have access to rooftops to reduce their energy bills. Is there any update from the Department of the Taoiseach? I welcome the work of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien on this issue of plug-in solar.”
“I would love to see that rolled out more, with a few flowers and a bit of this. It would also reduce pollutants. It is a biodiversity spot. My message is clear. I would love the Minister to look into the 2022 analysis of plug-in solar and see who deemed it unsafe. It is definitely something that we need to look into. It is a quick fix. The people would benefit from it now.”
“We need to look into that if we are going to encourage people to participate, particularly those who are under economic strain. The findings of the research are clear. Real-time pollution alerts are being used in other European cities. We are very lucky that we do not have that level of pollution in Dublin city. Another constituent told me he recalls a time when it was not possible to see from one side of O'Connell Street to the other. That was not in my time. I wish to acknowledge a few groups that have been working with me since I have been in this House. They include the EPA, Dublin City Council and community groups, such as Tidy Towns, which are bringing in biodiversity products and encouraging it. Driving in today, I saw that one of the bus stops in Fairview, which is in my constituency, has a planter on top of it.”
“To reduce transport emissions, let us give them the option of reduced fare or free public transport during this economic crisis. Let us accelerate the transition into cleaner heating systems. Yesterday, the SEAI appeared before the climate and energy committee. I welcome that some Deputies have criticised the SEAI. However, the reality is that the SEAI and the grants it has made available have been studied by other European cities and countries as a result of the success rate and the high level of uptake. I would love for the initial cost of some of the schemes to be examined because there is not such a high uptake among those on lower incomes due to the cost. There are some contractors that will give you the work in lieu of the grant.”
“It is a passive system with no maintenance once installed, just like nature-based solutions. It has been successfully used in other European cities. I will always come to the Minister with solutions. This is one that I would love him to look at. We could even paint the road ourselves. It would be nice to see a north Dublin road that is reducing pollutants. What we are trying to do is to use small areas of nature-based or scientific innovation, such as that paint, to benefit people and reduce air pollution. The data is clear. I will go back to the start - solid fuel burning. Deputy Gogarty mentioned it. For example, there is smokeless transport emissions. These are the main drivers. To reduce solid fuel burning, let us give them the option of plug-in solar.”
“Members of this House are often contacted by constituents regarding issues they would like us to raise. One of the solutions that was mentioned to me was put in place in the Netherlands and France. The Minister might be laughing at me now but it is a very simple fix. It is a type of paint that can be used on roads and, in direct sunlight, it absorbs pollutants. I had not been aware of this previously. The person who rang me is doing a PhD in air pollution. I was blown away by the idea and looked into it further. There are a few videos on it. It has been shown to succeed. It is low cost. It is called photocatalytic road paint. Surfaces are treated with titanium dioxide, which breaks down air pollutants using sunlight. I was blown away when she rang me. It reduces nitrogen oxides, which are the main pollutant coming from traffic.”
“Their installation is low cost and they are low maintenance. We would be using nature's base that is already there and established. In Dún Laoghaire they are using oyster beds to combat water pollution, which is a brilliant idea. It is purifying the water. When we come the issue of air pollution, there are solutions we can use to retaliate against it. For local pollution in Dublin, we could look into bringing in alternatives, such as planting more trees. That is a very simple one. When I was researching for this speech, I came across a study in the UK on the use of trees in heavily polluted areas - areas with traffic lights. The study indicated trees can reduce air pollution in such areas by between 20% and 40%. There are high-density plants that are known for reducing the level of pollutants in the air.”
“We are above EU levels, but there are areas that have bad air pollution. What other countries are doing is something that we should follow. We could look at the Japanese and the Germans. I would say the members of the energy committee are fed up with me citing Germany as a guide for how we should do it, but the reason I mention it is because the German Government follows practical and logical solutions, whether it be plug-in solar or the moss that is used on the outside of buildings and is brilliant for absorbing PM2.5 particles. The 3D printing that can be used for this moss can also be used for nature-based solutions for flood defence in Dublin Bay North. We can bring in these systems of artificial reefs that encourage marine life and biodiversity in the waters. We should be using these nature-based solutions.”
“A lovely constituent of mine called me and said they would love to be able to avail of this. They have three children and they are struggling with their bills. That extra few bob in their pocket would help them right now. It is exactly the kind of policy we should be working for - low cost, high impact and quick. Regarding everything else, we are talking about housing, healthcare and the cost of living, and rightfully so, but the quiet thing that we have not been discussing but will be going into now is air pollution. I always talk about Dublin Bay and water pollution, so I welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue. When I was younger I had asthma. Thankfully, I grew out of it. From studies, I know air pollution is a huge cause of juvenile asthma. There is also a huge number of premature deaths.”
“That is not mentioning how many people were using their own kits that they were buying from online suppliers. These new units cost as little as €500 for a basic set-up. It is ordinary people who I represent. It is renters. It will help with air pollution because we are giving them a renewable source. At this moment in time, it is a renewable source that will reduce their bills and benefit their pockets. Each system is small but, together, they are cutting down emissions and reducing pollution. It is estimated that they are preventing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions in Germany. The installation of these systems is very simple. It does not require major infrastructure and it will give people immediate savings. I raised this yesterday.”
“I have requested and will continue to request information on who deemed it unsafe. If I was betting man, I would say it was someone who installs solar systems on the top of roofs that said it was unsafe. I refer to giving people an easy option. People in apartment dwellings in my constituency want to reduce their bills. We need to make it possible for them to buy a system that is a lot cheaper than the installation of a permanent system on their roof and allow them to plug it into their house. The Germans did it. There are examples. There is no complex planning and no major installation. We could even get a demonstration and do it within an hour. The Germans have over 1 million of these systems installed. That is just through their official scheme.”
“I would not be looking for a few seats to make the Irish people worse off at a time of geopolitical turmoil. What we need right now is people who are going to stand up and lead. I will give the Minister solutions. I welcome that he referred today to the progression of plug-in solar. Has the Department investigated the cost of a temporary free public transport scheme? What would the estimated cost be? A lot of people who are using public transport are on subsidies at the moment. At the moment, we need people to be able to commute and reduce their energy costs. This Bill is about air pollution but when we speak about plug-in solar and how it will help reduce the use of fossil fuels, I welcome that the Minister said that in 2022 someone had submitted that plug-in solar was unsafe. I am on the climate and energy committee.”
“I welcome the chance to speak on the Bill. I also welcome Deputy Tóibín recognising that people need financial supports and that we need a stable government to bring them in in the next few months. It is great to see that.”
“Obviously, we can go with the private wires, long-duration energy storage, gravity storage and green hydrogen. We have so much potential and I do welcome the fact the Department is moving as fast as it is on it. I look forward to working constructively with the Minister on this matter.”
“Tá sé an-mhaith go bhfuil an tAire ag rá sin, go háirithe inniu. It is a very interesting concept. If something is not safe, the Germans would not be doing it. The government there has been definitely allowing it and there has been a huge uptake of it. North Dublin, which I represent, has apartments. These apartment dwellers cannot use their rooftop. The plug-in solar systems which can be bought and installed within 15 minutes are a simple fix that would reduce their energy costs. Right now we need faster delivery of grid infrastructure and a welcome the Minister's engagement regarding private wires but, ultimately, it is about national security and affordability. One of the solutions that I am continuously shouting for, and I will continue to do so until it is done, is plug-in solar.”
“I have a lot of apartment dwellers in my constituency. To install a small-scale system on balconies to reduce bills would be very welcome to the Irish people, go háirithe na laethanta seo.”
“Aontaím go hiomlán leis an Aire. It is definitely unprecedented but the price shock is not limited to the oil markets. It is also spreading rapidly through global gas markets in Europe and Asia. That just proves the importance. Roughly one fifth of the global LNG trade normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar remains one of the cornerstone suppliers to the world's markets, which means any disruption tightens gas balances. Energy shocks also ripple into agriculture, as we have seen, beyond higher diesel prices, because natural gas and hydrocarbon liquids are key inputs in the production of fertilisers. We obviously note that this is all coming from the Strait of Hormuz but it feeds into the price of fertilisers. Can that also be looked into at EU level? Has there been any reply in relation to the plug-in solar development?”
“Go háirithe sna laethanta atá inniu ann, tá na rudaí atá ag tarlú timpeall an domhain thar a bheith suimiúil agus tá sé soiléir gur gá dúinn athrú an-mhór a dhéanamh ar ár gcuid fuinnimh. With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the risk to global security, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, how are we positioning ourselves to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels? I have been pushing for, and I mentioned it yesterday, plug-in solar. Is there any update from the Department on allowing plug-in solar? I represent a large area of north Dublin with a lot of apartment dwellings and this will ease their energy costs.”
“An all-weather pitch in Memorial Park has not been touched for five and a half months. That is not a delay. It is a loss of time for young people. They missed training. We had the highest levels of rain in the first three months of this year than we have ever had before. We are all asking about this issue. When we ask clubs to navigate complex grant systems on top of all that, we have to be honest. The grassroots clubs do not have the administrative capacity in some cases to chase these funding streams. I welcome that the Department is bringing the sports capital grant forward. I ask that the clubs get a clear demonstration from the council on how to apply. The bottom line here is that I represent north Dublin and I will always stand for what is right but these clubs are not asking for much.”
“Since 2022, there has been more training and more sessions and more players staying involved. Recently, I visited the club’s facilities. I thank PJ Walsh for the invitation. We need to follow up on this and bring this model into place across the board. Bringing back what I saw in Moyne Villa to the context of the clubs in the constituency I represent, and I have said this before in respect of Kilmore Celtic, the toilet facilities on the Oscar Traynor Road need to be properly addressed. Hundreds of kids do not have a toilet. They have to cross the road and knock on someone’s door to go to the jacks. There is a long-standing need for all-weather facilities in the Coolock area. The youth club there should be opened immediately and not delayed and not discussed.”
“With regards to AstroTurf pitches, sometimes I think Brent geese have more rights than young kids in this country. We have a huge problem with mental health and with obesity but the majority of the pitches in north Dublin have been waterlogged, especially at the start of this year. I understand that we need to protect nature, but sometimes we need to work together, collaboratively and in parallel to both allow young people to have access to playable pitches and protect nature. The strategic decisions are made from the top down. I am going to do something here I do not do regularly. I am going to mention a club outside of Dublin Bay North, and actually outside of Leinster. Moyne Villa has shown how investment in artificial surfaces can transform participation.”
“I have asked the Minister of State to look into this and I would love to see if anything was coming back. There is not only Kilmore Celtic, but also Clontarf, St. Kevin’s, and, on the edge of my constituency, Belvedere, Raheny United, Bayside, St. Malachy's and Ayrfield United FC. Many parents are dedicating their mornings but the facilities are not good enough. If we improve the facilities and get in the toilets in order that young men and young women are not discouraged from playing football, that would really help to keep young people active, build their discipline and provide structure. Níl siad ag lorg go leor rudaí nach bhfuilimid in ann a dhéanamh. Tá sé an-éasca leithreas a chur in áiteanna a bhfuil páistí ag iarraidh peil a imirt. Facilities across the board are inadequate and inconsistent.”
“One text I got back said that exceptional weather pitches of clubs that do not have the same form of ownership should be prioritised by Dublin City Council. AstroTurf pitches are closed consistently. The recent success of the men’s and women’s national team started at the grassroots level. It is important to provide facilities that will develop boys and girls at the grassroots level and that will lead to them representing our country with pride. Very simply, that is what everyone has been saying across the board. Grassroots football is the largest participative sport in the country and yet receives nowhere near the capital investment it deserves. This is the reality on the ground. I am blue in the face talking in here about Kilmore Celtic and how its pitches were taken over by another professional club.”
“It was very much taken on board by everyone. That is what grassroots football at its best is about. Going back to what multiple Deputies said, we need to get serious about academies. If we are going to get serious about the grassroots, we need to do so for our men's and women’s teams. I commend them both on how they are getting on. Obviously, we did not get on as well in Prague as we would have liked, but we definitely believed for a good few minutes anyway. The truth, if we are being honest and we have been saying this for years, is that we are not delivering. I welcome that the Minister of State held a meeting with me and other Deputies on this issue. Right now, football in Ireland is upside down. I reached out to the chairs of multiple clubs in my constituency over the past three days.”
“As for the work being done in Shels on and off the pitch, the additional needs team established by Finian McGrath and Ann Murray is a brilliant example of what football should be about, namely, inclusion, community and opportunity for every child. I look forward to welcoming them to the House in two weeks' time. I commend Ann Murray on all she has done. It does not get enough recognition. She recently invited me to a briefing on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, in sports and how we should encourage young people and change our coaching methods for them. One of the best things I took from that was that when coaches across the north Dublin area asked how they could better teach children, the response was to just let them play, not make them be doing something that puts too much on them and let them enjoy the sport.”
“I place on record my support for Deputy Byrne and I commend her on standing by her principles on such an important issue. At the same time, I would like to say we did have a good match in Shelbourne FC when her team was visiting. We were sitting beside each other. Thankfully, we won that game. I am a Shels fan. Football would not be the sport of choice but it is definitely a club I have so much admiration for, including the men, the women and the dedicated staff volunteering at a youth level and throughout the club. Progress is being made. A lot of the clubs feeding into Shels, which I represent, are facing challenges around facilities and funding.”
“Aontaím le go leor rudaí a bhí daoine sa Teach ag rá. While I fundamentally disagree with the policies of Sinn Féin, I commend two of their Deputies on record. First, I commend Deputy Pa Daly on his invitation to the football match in Mountjoy. It was a very good match. Now, I could not hit snow off a rope and we did lose the match. I am more of a rugby player by build. I would also like to acknowledge Deputy Joanna Byrne. I saw what she went through and I think it is important that we recognise the principle at stake. It took courage when she spoke out with passion and conviction on Palestine, especially given the repercussions. Anyone, particularly those standing for something they believe in, should be able to stand over their views without facing pressure from external forces out of their roles.”
“The CRU should be the single sheriff in town to determine if a private wire should be allowed. That is the difference between my Bill and the Government Bill. There are other differences in amendments. I will continue to work on my Bill. I look forward to constructive engagement with the Government, which I have had so far, in this regard. It is a key priority for me and would benefit the Irish people. We cannot allow our energy to be wasted. We cannot allow solar farms in Waterford or Wexford to turn off generation at 11 a.m. and lose energy. We should use everything we can to benefit the Irish people.”
“The Irish people are screaming out for a decentralised grid. They understand that a decentralised grid reduces demand on the grid and that reducing demand on the grid reduces energy costs. In the response to a parliamentary question I recently submitted regarding the dynamics of energy costings, it was shown that, while we had higher grid input from renewables and the customer should be seeing that happening at a faster rate, they are not. The people of my constituency are screaming out for quick solutions. I hope the Minister of State will respond to my point on plug-in solar. I know a lot of countries are looking at small modular reactors to reduce the burden on their people. I will refer to the private wires Bill. The Government's private wires Bill is welcome but we do not need two regulators.”
“At the moment, we see a mix of green hydrogen being introduced in the UK. We can establish such a system to reduce carbon emissions and also to reduce costs. If any other country had the seabed and the potential that Ireland has, it would use them to benefit its people. Before the crash, we had huge ambitions to fast-track offshore renewable energy and other renewables. Due to the crash, that all fell through. We are now getting foreign direct investment, FDI, in it but we need to do it in a way that benefits the Irish people. We need to invest more in national security. If the current energy crisis shows us anything, it is that we need to move away from being a petro-state to being an electro-state. The Germans are doing this way faster than us. We should look at the model they are employing across the board.”
“They could clearly install a system on their balconies, plug it in and have an in-built system that would reduce their energy costs. I will always give solutions. I will not just say things that can never happen. That is one thing that will help the Irish people regarding our energy security and help with surging costs. At the moment, while we have huge amounts of solar and wind energy, the grid cannot take it. The Minister of State is well aware of this. I welcome the fact that we had a meeting on this. Long-duration energy storage systems, including battery energy storage systems, gravity pumps and green hydrogen, are being established across Ireland. Dr. James Carton, who was a professor of mine, was one of the founding pushers of this and has consulted with the Government but it is not happening fast enough.”
“Táimid i gcónaí ag caint faoin rud seo. Is é an rud ná nach bhfuilimid ag déanamh an rud is fearr gur féidir linn, go háirithe agus muid ag smaoineamh faoi curtailment and dispatch down. I have spoken about this before. One of the biggest solutions introduced by the German Government, which was a quick fix, was to allow plug-in solar. I have raised this in the Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy and was told that, in 2022, a consultation was done and plug-in solar was deemed dangerous. I have requested details on who said it was dangerous. I presume it was rooftop solar installers who would not like to lose their business. It is a simple fix for the apartment dwellers in north Dublin whom I represent.”
“We are benefiting our constituents and the people of Ireland by creating a stable Government that will benefit them. The decision I made today might be seen as bad by my constituents but they will know it was from the bottom of my heart and that I did it for the best reason to allow them to benefit from financial measures that will come in the coming weeks. We do not know where this current geopolitical situation will go. We must benefit the vulnerable and build a resilient system that protects Irish people and does not expose them. There is global instability with the conflict and the attacks on energy. We have seen what Trump and Netanyahu have done in the past two days, and it needs to be addressed.”
“When I was on the phone to people who were asking me to vote no confidence in the Government, I told them that if the Government were to fall, it would be unable to bring in financial supports. That information was not relayed by political parties that were screaming for this. There would be no legislation or reform to our energy system. The private wire legislation, which is in the programme for Government and will help the Irish people, would not be able to progress. Every single solution we are discussing today would not be able to progress. Without a functioning Government, nothing would be happening. There would be no reform to infrastructure or to delivery. The people of Ireland would not benefit. Some people would say that Independents are lining their pockets, but we are not.”
“I know where this motion comes from. People are under real pressure. Energy prices are too high and families and businesses in my constituency are contacting me daily. I will be clear about today's motion of confidence and why we need a functioning Government to bring in these measures. I heard people across the Chamber say that Independents have betrayed the people. Betraying the people would be political point-scoring for a few extra seats for a party and causing disarray in the Government at the time of highest geopolitical risk that has existed in my lifetime. We need a stable Government right now to bring in the financial supports that we brought in tonight. That was not relayed to the public.”
“It is about moving out of dependence and into independence. I welcome the development of the Minister, Deputy Chambers' critical infrastructure Bill. I hope Government will use that to benefit the Irish people and to make a change as fast as possible. I have given the Minister of State one solution about plug-in solar, and I would love to see that implemented. We can go back to private wires and long duration energy storage another time.”
“The problem is we are within a system where expensive gas is setting the price of electricity even when most of the power generated is far cheaper and we need separate low-cost renewables from the expensive fossil backup and we need to expand long-term contracts, which was mentioned at the committee, and reward storage and flexibility. It would allow consumers to benefit from cheap electricity when the price changes. We should not have a fixed price, but we should also not be averaging low-cost energy into permanently high bills. The Irish people should benefit when the Irish system built by us is producing energy. We also need to rethink the grid and building more infrastructure. I have to let Deputy Danny Healy-Rae in. I wish to conclude by saying this Bill matters, but it is only part of the answer. The real challenge is bigger.”
“I understand, and think it is funny, when people say, "the energy transition". It is more like the energy demolition and rebuild, because the changes that we need in the State to be energy independent are going to be huge. I welcome the investment that the Government has committed to ESB, but the speed at which things are being done is the reason the private wires Bill is being proposed and why we are missing out on investment opportunities. Foreign multinationals, when they are coming to Ireland, cannot believe the delays in building small-scale infrastructure for renewables to power high energy users, industrial users or someone who requires energy.”
“In north Dublin, I represent people who are financially struggling and living in apartments who would love to lower their energy bills. This is a quick simple fix that needs only a regulation change that we can provide. Constituents have been crying out for it since I have been in here, for instance, renters and single mothers who are struggling at the moment who can lower their bills. Plug-in solar is a clear option. If it was not safe - one of the answers I got back from the Department was that due to EU regulations it cannot be done - how are the Germans doing it? It is low cost, it is scalable and it empowers people. That is the best part. We are still behind and if we are serious about energy independence and reducing people's bills, it is a quick fix. Another issue we need to discuss is how we are still relying heavily on gas.”
“I spoke about the delivery of port infrastructure and, crucially, the decentralisation of energy production. Another issue that we have constantly referred to, and other Deputies have mentioned in the debate, is a very quick solution. People in apartment dwellings who do not have access due to a management company owning their apartment building cannot build their own solar systems. A plug-in solar system scheme implemented by the German Government has had a brilliant uptake, so much so that it is doing it again. When I asked why plug-in solar was not allowed in Ireland, I was told by the Department that there was a consultation done in 2024. I have asked who gave the bad reviews, because I presume that it is solar installers who do not want someone to be able to plug in a system in their apartments.”
“When there are too many people making decisions not in parallel but systematically, it delays everything. If we put one person in charge of this decision-making for our energy system, it will benefit the Irish people. It is all about resilience. We are saying that, whether it is invested in our long duration energy storage so we stop wasting renewable energy - millions of euro is being lost by solar farms and wind farms when there is too much sun and too much energy - the acceleration of our offshore wind, which I have spoken about, marine energy or green hydrogen, which we could speak about. Professor James Carton, my old engineering professor, has spoken to the Department about this. He might have persuaded me while he was teaching me in college to be pro-green hydrogen.”
“Why cannot we have more ports that can develop ORE? Onshore wind facilities are much easier to build but it is not as efficient. It has a longer lifespan, though. We are still in many ways a petrostate. We are dependent on imported fossil fuels. Now we were going to be spending close to €1 billion on energy security, which will last us how many days if we did lose connection? It is one more point of failure. What we need is private wires, of course, but also a simpler system that gives the regulator, the CRU, the authority to approve projects whether they make sense without the unnecessary barriers or certain exemptions, because we see how that happens. We need a single regulator as the decision maker. We have seen it across planning, for example.”