But despite the UK's abundant wind, waves and engineering skill, lack of government focus and priority means Britain's renewables industry remains tiny.

CNN: Opinion: Nuclear is 'a spanner in the works'

Speaking in the Irish parliament on Thursday, he said the government's priority and focus was on what could be done to create new jobs and investment in the banking and financial sector.

BBC: Allied Irish Banks to shed 2,500 jobs

The department said HSE's approach was to focus inspection on priority sectors and target them on specific activities in other sectors where there is evidence of poor performance.

BBC: Tayside and Central Scotland

Missouri legislators worried that FEMA was shifting priority from Joplin's recovery to focus on Irene because of the funding crunch.

CNN: FEMA funding faces now familiar congressional wrangling