Timmy Dooley
Clare · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I thank both Senators for the amendments they are putting forward and the sentiment behind them. I will deal with the points about the emergency. The Government made it very clear that a decision was taken, based on a decision taken by the previous Government in November 2024.”
“The State has taken a view, however, that is consistent with our desire and our commitments to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, and onwards to 2040 and 2050, that this facility is strategic, as it says, that it is only for storage and that it is not meant to be a market play and cannot be a market play.”
“It is, but it is not an either-or situation. If €1 billion could sort it out with more batteries, wind or solar then that is the route we would be taking. We are investing very significant amounts of money in our electricity grid.”
“As the Senators know, the piece of kit – effectively the ship – will be leased in. There are a number of these around the world and they move on. First, we are not investing in the kind of infrastructure that had been a feature of discussions in the past.”
“All fossil fuels are harmful to the environment. The Senator is right that methane has a much higher concentration and is more impactful by what is referred to as the carbon dioxide equivalence. It is much greater than carbon dioxide but it also has shorter life in the atmosphere. It dissipates over time whereas carbon dioxide does not.”
“If we were to do it, however, to get the private sector to pay for the security - I think it is accepted on all sides that there is a necessity for some security in terms of the gas supply - and if the Government were to say it would provide that through a market-led private consortium and initiate an auction to allow entities around the…”
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“It is to assess the full picture, weigh opportunity against risk, consider distributional impacts and ensure progress in one part of the economy does not come at an unacceptable cost to another. In Ireland's case, agriculture and the rural economy are not peripheral considerations. They are central to social cohesion, regional development and national identity. While the agreement may deliver benefits for some sectors, the Government concluded on balance and after exhaustive engagement that the risk to Irish agriculture and rural communities had not been sufficiently mitigated. That is why Ireland voted against the signature of the EU-Mercosur agreement in line with the programme for Government commitment. I am setting out for the House the journey that was taken by the Government and the conclusion.”
“The EU-Mercosur agreement has the potential to help to address these challenges. It would reduce costs by eliminating tariffs and simplifying customs procedures; ease administrative burdens by making it easier to certify products for local sale; and improve access to public procurement opportunities by increasing transparency and access to information. For many Irish SMEs, these changes could be the difference between being able to enter a new market or not. The Government recognises all of this. We recognise the opportunities, the potential benefits for exporters, enterprise, services and job creation. We recognise the strategic arguments made by the European Commission and other member states in favour of the agreement. However, the role of the Government is not simply to catalogue the potential gains.”
“On the contrary, they are an important part of our overall assessment of the agreement. The then Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's Economic and Sustainability Impact Assessment for Ireland of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, published in June 2021, found that the agreement could have broadly positive impacts for Ireland overall. Taking into account direct and indirect effects, the assessment estimated that Ireland's global goods exports could increase by approximately 0.24% or €1.1 billion. It is also important to consider what this could mean for small and medium enterprises, as 97% of Irish exporters are small companies. For many of these businesses, exporting outside the EU can be particularly challenging due to tariffs, complex customs procedures and administrative burdens.”
“The agreement would also improve access to Mercosur public procurement markets, offering Irish companies new opportunities to compete for major contracts in rapidly developing economies. There are also potential benefits for parts of the agrifood sector, beyond our most sensitive areas. Opportunities exist for processed food and dairy products as well as for alcoholic beverages and spirits. In addition, the agreement would provide protection for two important Irish geographical indications, Irish cream liqueur and Irish whiskey, helping to safeguard the authenticity and reputation of iconic Irish products in international markets That comes at a time when there are issues with our trading into the United States and the tariffs that apply there. There are tangible and significant benefits and the Government does not dismiss them.”
“In 2024, Ireland exported goods worth approximately €820 million to those countries, while services exports in 2023 were valued at approximately €1.8 billion. Taken together, total trade between Ireland and Mercosur, including goods and services in both directions, is worth about €4.1 billion. These figures matter. They demonstrate that Mercosur is not a hypothetical market for Ireland, but a real and increasingly important trading partner. The agreement could open further opportunities for Irish exporters across a wide range of sectors. These include business and professional services, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, machinery, medical devices and advanced manufacturing.”
“That remains a core strategic advantage of our economy and in that context, the Government acknowledges the EU-Mercosur agreement has the potential to enhance trading and investment opportunities between Ireland and the Mercosur region. I have heard the flippant remark that it is giving away Irish beef for German cars. There is a company in Galway that employs 1,000 people and makes products for the automotive sector, and there are many more around the country. Deputy Healy made the point that the agreement was just for other countries. We have a significant pharmaceutical sector that would benefit from this. However, Ireland already has a significant and growing trading relationship with Mercosur.”
“I will turn to the broader context in which this debate sits and underline a central truth that has guided the Government's approach throughout. Ireland is and will remain a trading nation. Trade is not an abstract policy for this country. It underpins our economic success, our employment base and, essentially, our living standards and that includes those of our rural communities. Our openness to the world and willingness to engage, compete and build partnerships beyond our shores is what has allowed a small island nation to develop a global economic footprint far beyond its size. Through our membership of the European Union, Ireland benefits from access to the world's largest trading bloc from an EU trade policy that opens markets, reduces barriers and creates opportunities for Irish business.”
“As the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, set out earlier, the purpose of that broad-based engagement was twofold. It was, first, to attempt to build a blocking minority of member states and, second, to seek substantive changes and safeguards that would have meaningful impact and address some of Ireland's concerns. Thanks to these serious efforts by the Government alongside like-minded member states, real improvements to the agreement in the form of tangible flanking measures and supports for farmers have been achieved. I am taken by some of the theatrics tonight. I do not question the validity of anyone's mandate, but there have been some theatrics in recent days. It reminds me of the wannabe Texas rancher - big hat but no cattle.”
“This effort was led by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs and defence who engaged extensively with EU counterparts. These are all matters of public record. Efforts to build a blocking minority were sustained over time and took place across multiple forums, at European Council meetings, sectoral meetings and bilaterally. We did not focus our efforts on member states alone. There was close and direct dialogue with the European Commission, including during the visit of the trade Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, in October last year and at the agricultural ministers political meeting with Commissioners Hansen, Šefčovič and Várhelyi last week.”
“When at some point Sinn Féin gets an opportunity to be in government - it has experience north of the Border - it will know how diplomacy works. When people have the privilege and obligation to work on behalf of the people, they do so behind the scenes and they work generously. We set our frame forward when we entered government with a programme for Government that set out clearly that we were against the Mercosur agreement as it was constituted. The Government worked tirelessly with like-minded member states that shared our concerns about the agreement with the objective of standing up for Irish farmers, protecting the rural economy and ensuring Ireland's voice was heard clearly and credibly at EU level because that is where the decisions were being made.”
“I begin by reiterating that the Government rejects entirely the arguments and assertions put forward in the Sinn Féin motion. As stated by the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, the motion does not at all acknowledge the serious and diligent work undertaken by the Government and by numerous Government Ministers at European level with like-minded EU member states to oppose the EU-Mercosur agreement and to defend the interests of Irish farmers and rural communities. I have heard from many tonight that they wanted to hear us shouting and roaring over that period.”
“If we can make the homes lose less energy, they will use less electricity and there will be less cost regardless of whether the energy is clean or otherwise. That is why the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, takes the view that this can be done incrementally and we can make progress. It cannot be that people have to do everything at once, because that is a turn-off for people financially. When they get to other side, having paid their mortgage, they often do not want to take on more debt so we will continue with that.”
“The International Energy Agency, IEA, indicated that the difference between the wholesale and retail cost is considerable and widening, particularly in the gas market and that sets energy prices generally. We are therefore looking at it from that perspective. However, the long-term approach is to try to ensure we move away from fossil fuels altogether and reduce the amount of energy needed in homes. I have already outlined the kind of approach we are taking to ensure people who are not in a position to do that upgrade get the State's support. I thank Deputy McGrath for his comments. It is twofold. It is about having people in healthier, warmer homes that are less dependent on fossil fuels or even on renewable energy.”
“Deputy Cronin highlighted the significant cost of energy and the impact it is having on households. We have certainly seen that. The Government has taken action, as the Deputy will be aware, by increasing the fuel allowance from the beginning of the year. We reduced the VAT, which is a help in addressing the burden, but we have to get to the core cost. I answered a question earlier about the efforts that have to be made in terms of the wholesale energy markets and the price of gas. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, on the direction of the Minister, is carrying out an investigation to establish whether there are issues with the market and whether there is potential for failures in the market.”
“We are paying our mortgages or are working our way through that. Windows and doors and a little bit of insulation can have a massive impact on emissions from homes, on reducing the cost of energy and on reducing the burden on society generally from the emissions and the generation of electricity and the difficulties around that. I will certainly take that point back to the Minister but he has already begun a process there.”
“I felt at the time, and still do, that the carbon charge was a way of discouraging the long-term use of fossil fuels and taking that as a methodology to assist exactly the people the Deputy spoke about. What I outlined to her indicates, particularly with the warmer homes scheme, what we have done for people with low incomes, namely, classifying them as in the energy poverty category and targeting that. The issue Deputy McGrath described has been raised with me, the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, on a very regular basis. Deputy McGrath and others have mentioned it in the House. The Minister is very cognisant of that and my understanding is he is working towards bringing some reforms in this area. We would all like to do a deep retrofit that would get us in line. Most of us cannot afford it.”
“Both Deputies show regular interest in this and have spoken on it in the past. The point about not leaving anybody behind is really important and it has been the focus. Deputy Cronin and I, and her party, are aligned on lots of issues. I sat with Deputy Stanley, a former member of her party, on that committee for years and certainly Sinn Féin was very committed to the transition, but we disagreed ultimately on how to pay for it. We sided with the idea of the carbon tax, the hypothecation of that fund and using that to assist people in moving forward. Sinn Féin had a different view but nonetheless recognised the importance of ensuring nobody was left behind.”
“Increasing the uptake of energy efficiency upgrades and measures among homeowners is a key priority for our Department and as such, our officials, in partnership with their counterparts in the SEAI, continue to work to deliver in line with the National Retrofit Plan and the programme for Government commitments.”
“This will support continued growth with a focus on scale, quality and output under the scheme. Budget 2026 has provided record funding of €558 million for SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes next year. This is an increase of almost €89 million on the budget 2025 allocation. This funding is expected to be further supplemented with additional funding, such as an allocation from the European Regional Development Fund, which will provide for an increase in the allocation for the warmer home scheme. These allocations will be published as part of the Revised Estimates Volume later. This allocation will support even more home energy upgrades to make homes warmer, healthier and more comfortable, with lower emissions and lower bills.”
“Changes introduced to the SEAI schemes in recent years aimed at increasing the number of homes retrofitted as part of the Government's retrofitting schemes include: enhanced SEAI grant schemes, including expanded eligibility and higher grants; simplified application processes with faster approvals and a greater focus on heat pumps; an increased number of one-stop shops - there were 24 registered at the start of 2025 and a further two were added this year, bringing the overall total to 26 at the end of September 2025; a reformed warmer homes scheme for homeowners in energy poverty with expanded eligibility, increased depth of retrofit, a prioritisation of the worst performing homes and a higher number of homes supported; enhanced supports for retrofitting apartment buildings and flat complexes; new supports for area-based retrofit projects for mixed-ownership estates aimed at encouraging homeowners, regardless of requirements or means, to get a retrofit; a new pilot scheme to support the retrofitting of traditionally built homes; two pilot schemes aimed at informing approaches to increase the number of heat pumps installed; the new home energy upgrade loan scheme, launched last year with new lenders joining in 2025, is now enabling homeowners to avail of retrofit loans with interest rates as low as 2.99%; a tax incentive to encourage small-scale landlords to undertake retrofitting works while the tenant remains in situ ; a reduction in the VAT rate for heat pumps to 9% and a 0% rate for solar panels - we all see how that has expanded the amount of solar energy that is now being captured on rooftops.; expanded obligations on energy companies to support homeowners and energy poor households to reduce energy use; measures to increase the number of workers with retrofit skills; and a procurement process to establish a new €1.2 billion contractor panel for the warmer homes scheme to be in place in by quarter 2 next year.”
“The Department continues to build on the progress achieved in recent years. Since 2019 there has been a record level of about €1.6 billion invested in SEAI schemes to support almost 240,000 home energy upgrades, including over 81,000 to BER B2, 18,000 heat pump installations and over 32,000 fully-funded upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty under the warmer homes scheme, which many of us are familiar with through the representations we get in our constituencies. In addition, the Department funded a further 14,300 local authority upgrades, including over 7,250 heat pumps, between 2019 to 2024.”
“The SEAI has a number of schemes in place to support homeowners to upgrade their properties and move to renewable heating systems, thereby allowing homeowners to choose the best home upgrade option to suit their particular needs. These include a number of part-funded schemes and the fully funded warmer homes scheme. Ensuring fairness to all and supporting a just transition are key principles underpinning the National Retrofit Plan. As an example of delivering on this, over the period 2022 to 2024, 64% of the total Government spend on residential and community retrofitting across our Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage's schemes was invested in upgrading home energy performance for households at risk of energy poverty across privately owned, local authority and approved housing body homes.”
“This includes revising and improving the provision of grants and financing models for homeowners who wish to retrofit to enhance energy efficiency and reduce costs, supporting group retrofitting projects and area-based approaches to retrofitting, targeting older homes still using oil to switch to renewable heating systems and considering the use of sustainable bioliquids to reduce emissions from existing home boilers where deep retrofits are not possible in the short term. These commitments are framing the work under way by my Department on continued delivery and development of the SEAI's residential and community energy upgrade schemes and the development of a heat policy statement and a roadmap to phase out fossil fuel heating systems.”
“That disappoints me greatly as you have been a mentor of mine for many years here and I depend on your guidance in many other fora as well. I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 112 and 119. The programme for Government commits to ramping up the achievement of retrofit targets through continued delivery of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's residential and community energy upgrade schemes.”
“However, the plan-led approach is giving a very clear direction of travel in terms of the commitment to offshore energy generation and a commitment to ensure there is a pipeline into the future towards 2040, with real targets and a recognition by the State that it will have to stand behind those projects through the contract for difference approach that has been successful and is attractive to bring that investment to the country.”
“I fully support what the Deputy is saying. The projects he referred to are projects that have been there. They are referred to as the phase 1 projects. They were in existence prior to the State intervening to resolve the issue by having a plan-led approach and setting out a clearer pathway for companies to progress their ambitions. Of course, we are working with those companies also to ensure that those projects, which, as I said, are phase 1 and somewhat legacy to the system that is there now, are progressed and progressed quickly. There is work under way too with the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, to ensure the appropriate permissions are progressed. There is the potential for some changes there that will expedite those projects.”
“However, the plan-led approach that is there now is working. The example I have given the Deputy of the Tonn Nua site off the south-east coast in terms of the design of the auction has worked really well, and there is interest. We are regularly in contact with potential bidders to ensure they understand what the Government strategy is. What they want is certainty. They want to know that the country is committed to offshore, which we are, and that there is a pipeline of projects. We have set a plan in place now for that timeline.”
“To the Deputy's last point, we are fortunate that due to the way in which our auctions are designed, we have attracted significant bidders. Four is particularly good. There were instances in the UK, Denmark and Germany where there were no bidders because they had moved away from the contract for difference component of the auction. We are, therefore, in a very healthy position. What we have done in recent years is move towards the plan-led approach. Prior to that, it was basically that developers identified sites and came forward. The planning process was somewhat slower at that time and they ran into some complications. There are a number of them out there - about five - that we want to progress and are progressing through the planning phases. They will be very significant contributors to our generation.”
“In addition to that, we want to identify at least one but potentially two sites suitable for floating offshore wind, which really has great potential from an Irish perspective in the sense that it would give us the capacity to generate enormous amounts of electricity that might potentially be used for export, through interconnection or with some of the imaginative projects which the ESB and others are involved in, looking at converting to hydrogen or ammonia as a methodology of storing the energy.”
“This is reflected by the commitment stated in the programme for Government to fast-track offshore wind development by prioritising the publication of the DMAPs. There is a plan in place, which I am shepherding through at the minute. It is a national DMAP. We hope to have it concluded by the end of 2027. Three additional sites have been identified in the south-east coast DMAP. Tonn Nua has gone to auction. It has been announced that there are three other opportunities there, and they will be advanced in a timely way. There are some real issues to be resolved in terms of how that might pan out. Then, by 2027, we hope to have a national DMAP that will identify enough sites to get us to our 2040 target of an additional 15 GW of electricity. That is progressing with pace.”
“The Deputy is right in what he said. The lack of capacity is due to the phasing out of the facility on the Arklow Bank. The Deputy will be familiar with the announcement recently about the Tonn Nua site, which is just off the south-east coast. That announcement was very positive in the sense that an auction system was deployed. We had four bidders and we got a very good price at less than €100 per MW hour. There have been a number of auctions in other countries that have effectively failed because there were no bidders. We are on the right path The plan-led development through the use of the designated marine area plan, DMAP, is a critical part of the Government's strategic plan for our maritime area.”
“It is. Deputy Murphy made the point that gas is the basis of his argument. We have to accept that as we work towards bringing more renewables onto the grid, we just cannot stand still, bury our heads in the sand and watch data centres and tech companies and the investment associated with them go elsewhere. If that happened, our society would be left behind, our economy would be in trouble and we would not be able to invest in services, hospitals or whatever else. We have to have a balanced approach, while also keeping to our trajectory in the context of eliminating fossil fuels. We have a very clear plan for bringing renewables onto the grid by 2040. We are now moving ahead with a plan-led approach. We recently held the auction for 900 MW of offshore renewable energy at the Tonn Nua site. We intend to continue with that at pace.”
“The Deputy has to accept that the long-term strategy of the Government is to generate much more electricity from renewables. We have a target of 20 GW of offshore renewable energy by 2040. The Deputy is right in the sense that gas is a transition fuel, as we move away from fossil fuels.”
“You cannot, on the one hand, be of the view that we should have a strong economy and, on the other, ignore the fundamental building blocks of what that future economy will look like and operate. There is a requirement, and we have to live within the terms of the EU directive. As already stated, data centres, like all large energy users, have to exist within the boundaries of our climate legislation and targets.”
“The Deputy has to look at it from a Government perspective. We have to ensure the economy remains robust and that we have a strategy in place to ensure - based on the sector trends - that we are able to attract investment in order to continue to provide employment for what is a growing population. Sometimes, others bury their heads in the sand - I am not suggesting Deputy Murphy does - and say that data centres are bad and that we cannot facilitate them any more. The Government does not agree with that position. The direction of travel in relation to the tech sector and the way we live our lives means that so much more is done in a cloud-based environment.”
“The EU Commission is using this data to establish an EU-wide rating scheme and further legislation to address energy usage. The programme for Government contains a commitment to enhance data centres' use of renewable energy resources, energy-efficient technologies and effective solutions, such as waste heat capture, to reduce their carbon footprint.”
“In that context, the CRU’s LEU connection policy will support the Government's renewable energy targets because data centres above a certain threshold will be required to meet at least 80% of their annual demand with new additional renewable electricity generated in the Republic of Ireland. The energy efficiency directive, EED, contains many new measures aimed at further enhancing energy efficiency across society, including requirements under Article 12 to enhance the energy efficiency of data centres across all EU member states. Ongoing mandatory data centre energy and sustainability performance reporting across the EU under the EED will enhance data centre sustainability and drive energy efficiency by requiring data collection to report on their energy performance.”
“I appreciate the Deputy's interest in this matter. It does not align with mine, but his is a well-held view and he has aired it on more than one occasion. Ireland has attracted the best data centre and tech companies in the world. This is a really important relationship and the Government continues to work with the sector towards a secure and decarbonised energy future. Data centres are central to Ireland’s economic and digital future. However, data centres, like all large energy users, have to exist within the boundaries of our climate legislation and targets. Climate Action Plan 2025 includes measures to increase the proportion of renewable electricity to up to 80% by 2030. Data centres can be at the heart of our renewable future - using renewable electricity to power data, create jobs and to generate tax revenue for the State.”
“Efforts are often made by some in this House to suggest that this is some kind of folly but data centres today are what the advance factories were in the 1970s and 1980s. They drive the economy, our education system, our hospitals and our banking system. Effectively, they are a repository for the information that sits behind the way we live our lives now. This is not just something we can just cast aside, bury our heads in the sand and say we should ignore it. We need to be mindful of that. If data centres do not end up in Ireland, they will end up somewhere else and we will lose out in the long term. However, I accept that we have to manage this matter.”
“I will be answering a question from Deputy Paul Murphy shortly on data centres but suffice to say that in the view of the Government data centres are a really important component of our growing economy and of the future in relation to the technological investment that we get here. Ireland has always been attractive to foreign direct investment which has been a bedrock of our industrial, economic and employment policy. There is little doubt that in recent years the focus has shifted from the pharmaceutical and medtech sectors, although both are still really fundamental drivers of our economy, and a new wave of investment is coming in data storage and the high-tech sector. Behind that, data centres are required.”
“The national energy affordability task force, following the publication of its first report, is now entering a new phase in its work. The task force is examining a range of matters, including the programme for Government commitment to explore whether legislation could be enacted to divert surplus renewable energy, that would otherwise be wasted, to homes in fuel poverty.”
“As the Deputy knows, the generation of electricity is one thing but the transmission of it is another. Oftentimes electricity is generated at locations where there is not demand for it and it has to be transmitted through the various different networks that exist. It is not as simple as taking it from one location to another because of the constraints that I talked about earlier. Of course, officials in the Department and the SEAI have met with representatives of EnergyCloud on a number of occasions. As I understand it, the approach taken to date by EnergyCloud has been to focus on approved housing body, AHB, and local authority homes. This has had the benefit of facilitating an aggregated and area-based approach. This is not something that can just be done in isolation.”
“Legislation providing the legal mechanism necessary for the investment of €1.5 billion of this funding into ESB Networks has now passed all Stages and was signed into law by the President last month. Further legislation in relation to the investment in EirGrid will be progressed next year. Last year the Department published the electricity storage policy framework for Ireland which supported the procurement of 500 MW of demand flexibility products by ESB Networks and 500 MW of long-duration electricity storage by EirGrid to meet specific network needs. Work is already under way to ensure the timely delivery of those projects.”
“We are already taking steps to invest in this critical energy infrastructure and, for example, PR6 will enable the delivery of over 500 capital network projects supporting the integration of increasing volumes of renewable energy and helping to reduce the amount of wasted energy in the first instance. In July the Government committed to investing €3.5 billion of national development plan, NDP, funding in EirGrid and ESB Networks in order to ensure that the PR6 infrastructure programme can be delivered. That level of investment by the State in ESB Networks and EirGrid provides those companies with capacity to leverage against significant further borrowing that will ensure we will see a very significant upgrade of our networks.”
“As the Deputy knows, imperfections and dispatch down are a major challenge facing the electricity system. Obviously, dispatch down is brought about by constraints on the grid and the challenges of getting the electricity from the point of generation to where there is a demand and a need. If the grid is not capable of carrying the electricity at a particular time, energy generators are required to effectively stop generating so that there is not more complexity on the grid. This complex issue can only be addressed by taking a systematic and multifaceted approach, requiring investment in grid, storage and demand flexibility.”
“Deputy Daly talked about the additional charge under PR6 that will go into upgrading the grid. That is really important. That work has to be done. We have significant constraints on our electricity grid at the moment that need to be addressed. Unfortunately, that has to be paid for and that is why the CRU monitors all of these charges. Companies do not have a free-for-all in terms of what they charge. It is monitored by the CRU and is provided for in PR6.”
“I know some Deputies will have a different view but that is very much what has happened with that funding. It was not about raising a tax or an additional charge for the sake of it. It was about attempting to change behaviour and then utilising the moneys collected to assist those facing challenges in moving away from fossil fuels. That is working, of that there is no doubt.”
“What I was clear on, from the perspective of the Opposition at the time, was that the Government would put in place a methodology to ensure that the taxes or charges collected would be ringfenced and used for what was referred to as a hypothecation fund. The funds would be used to assist those in greatest need and those who were challenged by the tax.”
“The old adage of all politics being local is alive and well for the Christmas season in Kerry. The Government understands the importance of a functioning energy market. It is the role of the CRU to manage that. The Minister has sought that piece of work to be done and it will inform any decisions that have to be taken thereafter. It is easy to say - although I am not accusing Deputy Daly alone of this - that we are heaping on additional charges for no reason. The carbon tax or carbon charge, from the time it was introduced, was a very clear indication by Government of the direction of travel for fossil fuels. It was about encouraging societies to move away the harmful impacts of fossil fuels. It gave certainty to the market place that if energy users continued to use fossil fuels as they were, the charges would increase over time.”
“If the Deputy has had an opportunity to read the Draghi report, he will know it is about competitiveness in terms of where we are at both a European and a domestic level.”