Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On fines, will the Minister update the joint committee on the position regarding the agreement with the European Union on greenhouse gas reduction targets for 2030? I understand that the imposition or timing of fines depends largely on whether Ireland, by 2020, is considered to have started from where we should have been or where are actual position is. The outcome of this assessment in negotiations with the Commission will affect the timing of the imposition of fines for our failure to act on climate change. What is the state of negotiations with the Commission on this issue? When will they be finalised? I understand this is a key issue in terms of what fines we may face.

On the energy support schemes, I understand the Government is still providing grants for gas-fired heating systems. If that is the case, when does the Minister intend stopping this practice? It is long past time that support for fossil fuel systems ceased because it is no longer justifiable, regardless of how efficient the system. We must move towards systems that produce zero carbon and do not use fossil fuels. Why are grants being provided for anything connected with fossil fuels? To give another example, the Department funds scholarships for fossil fuel training in colleges. Will these students work in an industry that will no longer exist in 30 or 40 years? Why are we still supporting fossil fuels? I could raise the support provided for peat-fired power stations but I will confine my remarks to the subhead which relates to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Are we still supporting gas-fired heating systems and, if so, when we will stop doing so?

I hope measures for working with the European Investment Bank on deep retrofitting will be introduced in the 2017 or 2018 budget. One area in which we do not need EIB or private sector involvement is public housing. Why have we not commenced deep retrofitting in this area given that the State has a degree of control over the methods of payment and repayment and so forth?