Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On a related question, the price of oil is falling rapidly. Inevitably this means that there will be less research into alternatives and alternative energy sources become relatively much more expensive. Much of this has happened since the Paris meeting. All the indications are that oil will get cheaper. What effect will this have on all the figures and the target? Does it make what has been agreed almost irrelevant at this stage or is this a temporary phenomenon? The indications are that it is not a temporary blip but a long-term phenomenon that oil prices will be low indefinitely.