Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

My first point will not endear me to the Deputy, but to achieve the targets that we regard as important, in order to decarbonise our economy, irrespective of which energy sources we use to replace it, there will be a cost. It will not be possible to do it for nothing. The approach we have taken is to do it through refit incentives and support schemes. The Deputy is correct if he is saying that we should be vigilant and careful to ensure that the policy mix is right and that if we get to a stage at which the supports for one particular energy source are no longer justified, we should switch from that. Of course that is right. Let me sound a note of caution: in order to achieve our objectives, there will be a cost. The question is who will bear it. Will it be the Exchequer, the consumer or the business? It may not be a long-term cost and it may taper off at a certain stage when we have reduced our dependence on fossil fuels permanently, but there will continue to be a cost.

To address the Deputy's question on comparators for Ireland, let me draw his attention to a report published by the Council of European Energy Regulators in January 2015, which noted that for 2012 Ireland had an average electricity support, per unit of gross electricity produced, of €2.03 per megawatt, versus an average across the 22 countries assessed of €13.68 per megawatt. Only two countries, Finland and Norway, had lower supports than Ireland. It is important to put the issues in context. People say that other countries are turning away from generating wind energy, but no two countries in Europe are exactly the same. Some have done more and others have done a lot less in terms of wind energy. What is required is a mix. If we move away from one source, we must think of what we are replacing it with. Each and every source of energy has an issue. The Deputy mentioned biomass, and if I am interpreting him correctly, he said the sheer quantity of timber required was enormous. That is an obstacle to the bigger picture for biomass. Some of the other inputs are easier to advance through Government policy. We have to be conscious that the Drax power station type model requires enormous inputs of wood, and that is an issue with biomass. We have already touched on the issues that arise from wind energy. I would like to see solar energy advancing, but there are obstacles and issues with each and every replacement source of energy.

Deputy Fitzmaurice asked two questions about the national grid. First, it is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to issue guidelines, but obviously my officials and I have been in contact with the Minister, Deputy Kelly, and his officials, as well as the SEAI, and we are looking at the review of wind energy guidelines in respect of noise, proximity and shadow flicker. It is proposed to update the relevant sections of the existing guidelines on each of these specific issues. A number of technical appendices will be developed to assist planning authorities on noise assessment, monitoring and the setting of planning conditions. Draft guidelines, as the Deputies will be aware, were published in December 2013 for public consultation. After deep consideration of the various submissions and the modelling that arises from that, the revisions to the guidelines that the Deputy asked me about will be finalised and will be issued to planning authorities under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act. I believe that will be done in the early part of 2015, although I cannot give the Deputy a precise date. Ultimately, it is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.