Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. He is a good attender in this House and I like some of his ideas relating to his portfolio.

I welcome the Bill which is excellent legislation. The Minister has explained how the single electricity market will benefit the consumer and I hope it will. I also hope the Minister will take note of the comments by Senator McCarthy on ringfencing some of the possible savings. The cost of electricity here is enormous; one need only look at one's home electricity bill. Like Senator Buttimer, I have a smart meter, an excellent tool that shows how to make great savings by using the night rate for the dishwasher, washing machine and deep freeze. That said, electricity is very expensive and ways must be found to reduce prices, not only for domestic consumers but to big businesses which now find it very difficult to compete with competitors in other parts of the world. They deserve every break they can get and if this Bill will be helpful to them, it is to be welcomed warmly.

We all acknowledge that Ireland is a small economy and for that reason we need to bring in experience and expertise in regard to energy saving devices and alternative energy systems, if not for every aspect of these. Some do not agree with tax breaks but I do. They have been used to good effect even though they blew up the housing market. If there were tax breaks in the area of alternative energy and they were monitored properly, there could be great benefits. Many who are making a great deal of money would avail of tax breaks in this field, whether for their own home benefit or to make a contribution to the national grid.

Recently I travelled through Spain and France and was amazed at the level of wind and solar farming in Spain which is miles ahead of us. People here wonder why things move so slowly, whether it is a matter of getting on to the national grid or some other problem. Looking on, it seems there is a problem or hold-up in some area. I also spoke to people in Greece where between 4% and 7% of the overall energy supply is produced with wave energy. I was astonished to hear that 7% of that country's energy supply was produced with wave energy because Greece is situated on the Mediterranean. I realise it might be more difficult to put some of those systems in place on the Atlantic seaboard.

We like the way the Minister, Deputy Ryan, is working but the pace of progress is very slow, as people acknowledge. Will the Minister consider the introduction of tax breaks in the next budget? They could be the way forward for alternative energy production. If they were put in place, a considerable number of people would avail of them.

In other respects, I welcome the Bill. Anything that can help to reduce domestic or commercial electricity rates is to be welcomed.