‘Ireland falling behind on energy’

IRELAND has lost a generation of opportunity and allowed countries like Denmark to steal a 30-year lead in terms of renewable energy development, according to Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) chairman Brendan Halligan.

Mr Halligan — who was speaking at yesterday’s opening of the Meitheal na Gaoithe conference of Irish wind farm developers in Kilkenny — said there was no reason why Denmark should have in excess of 200,000 people employed in renewable energy development and Ireland had only a handful.

Referring to Scotland’s progress in regard to renewable energy he said: “It is hard to believe that the Scottish first minister can seek to position that country as a green Saudi Arabia, but we cannot make the same step.”