Energy cost claims are just guesses

Cork TD and Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, says that the protests against the Grid 25 programme will give Ireland a bad name. The plan is for 5,000km of cables, including pylons and 7,000 wind turbines.

The notion that wind energy can provide usable power is disputed, but the absence of any legally required cost-benefit analysis suggests the Government is guessing. Germany has a high level of wind farms. Its electricity prices are the second highest in Europe, driving out industry.

It has re-opened 17 coal-fired power stations and plans to open 10 more to replace shut-down nuclear plants. Perhaps Mr Coveney could say which of the following routes for inward investment would be damaged by the halting of the programme: manufacturing, services, fishing, tourism, blood-stock and people from abroad making Ireland their home?