Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has condemned the slow delivery of gas and electricity infrastructure, arguing that the Government's approach is failing the country. He made the remarks while addressing representatives from ESB Networks and Gas Networks Ireland at the Oireachtas Infrastructure Committee.

Deputy Tóibín said: "It is absolutely incredible, that have 20 years of hot air about biogas, that there is only one bio digestion facility connected to the gas grid in the country at the moment. Anaerobic digestion is a smart way to reduce imports, decarbonise and put money in the pockets of farmers.

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"It's also unbelievable, that there are only seven offshore wind turbines in the State at present. There have been more conferences by the government on offshore wind energy than there have been actual wind turbines off the coast of Ireland built. Incredibly those seven off shore wind turbines are soon to be decommissioned and so very soon we won’t have a single off shore turbine feeding into the grid. How many years have we been listening to talk about Ireland being the Saudia Arabia of Off Shore wind energy.

"There is a huge government incompetency problem when it comes to energy infrastructure. Its hurting Ireland in terms of energy provision with so much being imported. Its hurting Ireland in terms of energy cost and its hurting Ireland in terms of carbon emission fines."