Ms Laura Behan:

I will address the cross-Border question first. ESB Networks is working very closely with its Northern Ireland counterpart on the electric vehicle-refuelling infrastructure. They have jointly applied to the EU for TEN-T funding for the fast-charging infrastructure. Standards and absolute interoperability apply across borders on electric-vehicle recharging. We are already in discussions with our counterparts in the UK on this directive and the application of the additional infrastructure network that will be required. For example, if the directive were to require a compressed-natural-gas refuelling point every 150 km, we would obviously co-ordinate with our Northern Ireland colleagues so that would also apply on a cross-Border basis to ensure that roads across the order would be encompassed in the same network.

I believe that fracking is beyond the scope of this directive. In terms of the use of gas in Ireland, I imagine that the gas that would be used would be gas that is fed into the natural grid, which currently is not in any way derived from fracking.