Mr. Ken Spratt:

Turning to Deputy Catherine Murphy's question on the need for urgency, I fully accept that. I suppose we, in the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, were focused on renewable electricity and energy efficiency because we are mindful of how that can contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions. As I mentioned in my opening address, we are also focused on post-2020 and what is the 2030 climate and energy framework and we are working in collaboration with the European Commission and other member states on what would be appropriate for us. However, all of that must be based on sound modelling. There is, in head 5, a provision which requires the sectoral roadmaps to have regard to the economic impacts and to really understand what are those economic impacts. The last thing the Department would want is to deliver very ambitious options for the Minister to consider in the sectoral roadmap only for them to be accompanied by an expensive price tag which could impact on energy security and competitiveness. While I accept that there is a need for urgency and we are seized of that, we need to get this right because of the potential impact on energy security and energy competitiveness.

Deputy Murphy referred to the institutional arrangements proposed by Dr. Rory O'Donnell. I would be delighted to digest those and come back to the Deputy with some thoughts on them. On my Department's side also, she asked why is there the transition from grants to pay-as-you-save, and all the difficulties with that. I might ask Dr. O'Connor to take that.