Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and his officials to discuss energy. The Minister gave me credit on the Order of Business this morning, which does nothing for my street credibility. Wind power, a policy which was developed in 2007, seems to be the main renewable energy but we seem to have come to saturation point in this regard. Many commentators, nationally and internationally, say the amount of wind coming on stream at the moment is uneconomical as we go forward and Colm McCarthy has said we will have to have a NAMA for wind if we keep going. Is it time to have a mix of renewables in the energy generating sector? I have asked the Minister about biomass and I know the United Kingdom took a huge policy initiative in relation to subsidies in that regard. There was a sea change in Government policy to fund biomass and to develop the Drax power plant as a biomass facility, even though they are shipping the raw material across the Atlantic. Where are we in regard to biomass? Many of the stakeholders have said we should not go down the biomass route just yet but there needs to be a discussion on it.

The technology relating to offshore wind is moving on apace but how far are we away from developing it, given the natural resource we have off shore? Many central European countries have been moving away from wind as fast as they can in recent times. There is planning permission for a number of solar energy farms, one in mid-Cork, not too far from Macroom, though there is only on the island at the moment, in County Down. Is the Minister looking at that option? IBEC spoke with us yesterday on the PSO levy and we were told that high users are particularly affected by the PSO levy. The White Paper will probably deal with the mix of fossil fuels and others into the future but has the Department any concerns over the powers and the legislative tools the Commission for Energy Regulation has?

The Minister said we had 90 days of oil in reserve. When the price of oil went down in 2014 it took nearly six months before it showed up in the energy market and at the pumps but when the price of oil goes up it shows up almost immediately. In the UK and across Europe the bodies overseeing energy markets have the legislative tools to enforce a reduction in price as well as an increase in price.

In the last week we have seen some of the energy providers announcing a reduction in prices with great fanfare. However, there must be a fundamental examination of the Commission for Energy Regulation in the White Paper on energy and the energy policy that is being developed. We must have an ard stiúrthóir or a proper commission to ensure there is a State regulatory body in place to enforce what is in the best interests of the State and consumers, be they businesses or households. There must be a fundamental examination of the legislation. It is ten years since the original legislation was passed and even last Friday when we were discussing the gas installers, which I accept is a separate issue, it was clear that there must be a drastic overhaul. The Minister said last Friday in the Dáil that it would be an interdepartmental matter, but all legislation is interdepartmental. However, there must be a fundamental examination of the Commission for Energy Regulation.

To recap, have we gone too far on wind? Is it time to look at other mixes? Has the Minister considered a policy change on biomass or has he even engaged with the various stakeholders on what would be required on solar and offshore energy generation? I realise the North-South interconnector is before An Bord Pleanála, but the technology is available to put it underground. EirGrid was giving us all kinds of information on the savings made from Grid Link and Grid West. With regard to the North-South interconnector, it is time the Government grasped the issue and decided to put it underground. I believe there will be public disorder if EirGrid attempts to proceed with it over ground.