Dr. Brian Ó Gallachóir:

I thank the Senator. There is a lot to address. First, our model has the capacity to focus on the long term but we do analysis on the short term as well because it is important. I agree with the Senator on the need to keep a long-term perspective but to take actions now in the short term. We would make a number of specific recommendations in terms of incentivising renewable heat, anaerobic digestion and degeneration of biogas for heat and transport. In terms of retrofitting of buildings, the point I made earlier about electrifying and gasifying residential homes are all short-term policy measures that can help us in the transition to the long term

The Senator mentioned the ocean. She is correct. We have a significant resource in that regard and our results do harness that, particularly offshore wind energy, but the model adopts a least cost approach. Essentially, the model will choose the onshore resources first because they are cheaper but it will then look to the offshore wind energy. The Senator is right that for that to happen, it needs policy support. Otherwise, it will not happen because it is more expensive.

In terms of cars, there was some political lobbying at a European level to dilute the improvements in the targets for car performance. I do not see it as a problem. In terms of tax revenue, the Senator is right that we generate revenue from tax but if we have appropriate mechanisms in place people will change their purchasing decisions, and we have low tax associated with cars. The focus in terms of tax should be on the more polluting cars. The more polluting the car, the higher the tax. If we transition to a low carbon economy, challenges will arise in certain areas regarding revenue but I would suggest the Government continues to positively differentiate towards low emissions cars.

I agree with the Senator that more anaerobic digestion needs to be happening. One of my colleagues in University College Cork, Jerry Murphy, has done a lot of research in this area. Scientific evidence is available but, currently, it does not have the policy support.

In terms of realistic targets, setting a zero per cent target for agriculture and an 80% target for the energy system, resulting in an overall goal for Ireland of 50% emissions reduction by 2050, is what I would consider to be a realistic goal if we want to keep the beef and dairy sector in operation.

The Senator is right that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has the expertise. She mentioned transport and energy but the other one is agriculture. The challenge is to find a mechanism by which it is co-ordinated, be it in the Department of the Taoiseach or the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The Taoiseach's Department would have the over-arching control element but, as the Senator pointed out, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has the expertise. I am not fixed on one or the other but both of those need to be addressed.