The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment has been accused of being "completely on the back foot" when it comes to solar and the diversification of Ireland's renewable energy sources.

Sinn Féin TD and Climate Change spokesperson Brian Stanley was speaking after Minister Denis Naughten launched a joint ESB/Bord na Móna enterprise to develop solar farms in the Midlands.

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Mr Stanley said: "We have been very slow in developing this clean and indigenous source of energy of solar power and would be very much behind some of our European counterparts. Currently, we have no state subsidies in place for this renewable energy. Britain, with relatively the same climate as ourselves, is one of the biggest solar industries in the world.

"We need to provide for more diversification in our renewable energy sources. Alongside sources such as solar, we have our almost completely underutilised offshore wind which has a huge potential to aid in powering a significant amount of this States energy needs. This needs to be addressed by a coherent plan from the Government going forward.”"

(CD)