Dr. Rory O'Donnell:

Senator Keane asked which institutional design one would prefer. I am happy to provide a couple of pages describing our understanding of the differences, slight though they are, between the institutional ideas. I suppose at the heart of it is - none of us would claim to have this sorted - what institutional design best links the how much and the how to in a positive dynamic.

Other members raised some very important questions. Whatever way one looks at it, wind energy has to be a key pillar of any future for Ireland as a low carbon or a carbon neutral country but at the same time, Deputies Bannon, Mulherin and Corcoran Kennedy have raised really knotty issues. There is no question but that public acceptance could be one of the constraints which sets limits on Ireland's achievement of what is scientifically or naturally possible. We take that very seriously.

I will ask my colleague, Dr. Jeanne Moore, to say a little bit about some further work we are doing because we think that is very significant. It is a version of the point Senator Keane raised in that in the area of climate change, we do not yet have something of the clarity of reduce, reuse and recycle which we have in waste and which captured everybody. Not only did it capture everybody, it is really meaningful and it is a properly worked out concept. We do not yet have the equivalent in the area of climate change. My colleague, Dr. Jeanne Moore, might be better placed than myself to say something on both of those topics.