Mr. Neil Walker:

Yes indeed. I thank the Chairman and the committee for the opportunity to answer questions on our submission. I would like to introduce my two colleagues, Ms. Jill Murray from Bord Gais Energy and Ms Audrey O’Shea from Glanbia whom the committee met this morning. There are particular circumstances for her second appearance. We apologise if we have breached any protocol. I explained to the clerk the particular circumstances. It is my intention to handle most of the questions. Unless there are questions specifically directed to my two colleagues I will attempt to answer them.

The committee is aware that I head up IBEC's energy and environment policy unit. I have been doing that for three years. I previously worked for the Sustainable Energy Authority and prior to that in industry. As part of my policy brief I administrate several policy committees including an energy policy committee and an environment policy committee and our climate change working group runs across both those committees. We try to represent the broad common interests of all sectors of industry because we have several thousand members in different sectors. Whereas individual sectors may have particular interests we are trying to find the common ground.