Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their submissions, which are very helpful to our deliberations. They all referred to the energy consumer or energy citizen as being at the heart of the issue. The wholesale price of electricity has dropped by 30% yet at retail level it is down only 3%. Could the regulator address that? Is there anything in this package that will strengthen the regulator's hand, that will allow the CER to focus more on the consumer and if so when is that likely to be ready for transposition?

I hear a lot of push-back from the citizen and from industry, particularly small to medium enterprises, SMEs, which are looking aghast at the marketplace and seeing that the reduction in the wholesale price is not reflected in their bills. We hear about a broader network, the benefits of the single market and the opening up of the market place. Mr. Slye has indicated that it is feasible and financially viable to make the interconnector. Large energy consumers that I talk to are concerned that they will pay for it. Will the interconnector only benefit the rest of Europe? Some who are against wind turbines are concerned that we will be seen as a country that will generate a lot of clean electricity for the benefit of others.

I spoke to a Slovenian colleague yesterday who, having looked at this package, thought it would put an enormous burden on Slovenia because 40% of its landmass is covered by the Natura 2000 classification. Slovenia has only a handful of wind turbines. With its topography and various other constraints, it will not be able to reach the same level of renewables. It has issues with hydroelectric power because the area concerned lies within a Natura region. If there it is to be a 27% target of renewable energy consumption across Europe, will we have to carry a much greater burden to assist in reaching that average. If we do so, is that what will make the Celtic interconnector viable?

In terms of our 2020 targets and given that he represents an entity that is not directly involved, does Mr. Gannon believe we will reach those targets? On the heat side, we obviously have we have real problems. In terms of deeper retrofit programmes, what does he consider needs to be advanced? They will have to be front-loaded with money. Has he identified what quantum of money would be involved in terms of the State's support for a deep retrofit programme that might meet the reduction in heat loss required to us help meet our targets?

I do not have any question for the representatives of the ESB other than that relating to the wholesale and retail prices for electricity. They might provide information on that matter and Ms MacEvilly might also weigh in respect of it.