The Northern and Western Regional Assembly has made a call on behalf of the whole north-west area and the counties it covers - Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Cavan and Monaghan. The Leader is from the area and will be very much aware of the deficit in the whole region, going back to when the EU gave it objective 1 status. That was about levelling up to ensure that we got our spend per capita in line with the rest of the country. That is now over 20 years ago and we are still in the same position where we are playing catch up. The report this morning is very welcome and timely, coming just before the budget. I implore the Leader to give a good sense of that to the Government. It is really important. The Leader has been very strong about rail lines along the western seaboard. There is the N17, which is not progressing, the Galway bypass, the N2 and A5, which has been lobbied on for well over 20 years, and the lack of rail line across that whole region. Many counties there have no rail. It is unacceptable. For Donegal, because the N2 and A5 have not progressed, the trans-European transport network, TEN-T, project is sitting with the Department of Transport waiting to move to the next phase. I know it is being assessed but the quicker it moves on the better. I ask the Leader to raise the report with the Government.

Yesterday, the Irish Independent reported thousands more households had fallen into arrears in their energy bills. Yesterday also saw the announcement of the renewable electricity support scheme, RESS 3, auction results. Not only have they delivered the smallest volume of renewable energy ever, but it is also the most expensive. The average price is now €100.47 per MWh which is way out of kilter with our EU neighbours. We all know the best way to reduce people’s energy costs is to move away from fossil fuels and get ourselves energy secure in terms of renewable energy. Therefore it is deeply disappointing that the RESS 3 auction has made Ireland the most expensive for providing renewable energy. Sinn Féin and Wind Energy Ireland have repeatedly called for a cross-departmental task force to identify the cost drivers of renewable energy in this country and the policies we need to implement to reduce those cost drivers. We do know the planning system, and the delays in it, is a large part of it. It is an average of 90 weeks for a decision for a wind farm. It has been over a year since the last wind farm got planning permission in this country. It does not send out the signal that we are in a climate crisis if it takes 90 weeks for decisions to be made on renewable energy projects. We are calling for the planning system to be adequately resourced as well as the environmental NGOs, which have a legal obligation to participate in the planning system too. We need to have the legal timeframes recognised and complied with.

Finally, while I am talking about An Bord Pleanála and the delays, I want to welcome its rejection of the Shannon LNG terminal. It was a great decision and one that recognises that we cannot lock ourselves into a fossil fuel future.

Well said.