Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegation for coming. Our targets for the use energy from sustainable and renewable resources are grossly under-set. As a nation, we should be in a position to avail significantly more of such energy. There are a number of issues, one of which is pricing. It is not just the current price of electricity that makes it difficult for citizens and businesses to operate, but also the uncertainty with regard to costs in the next three to five years. It must be possible to predict more accurately the costs involved within a sustainable energy environment than within a fossil fuel environment. What is the opinion of the SEAI in that regard? What is required which would enable energy costs to be fixed for a three or five year period? I suggest we go for a 60%, rather than a 16%, target for sustainable energy. What would be the impediments to this? How does the level of national investment in sustainable energy projects match that in fossil fuel energy projects?