Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for their thoughtful presentation. I have a number of questions. What our guests indicated that their model shows is borne out by what we see in society generally. I was taken with the point to the effect that the fluctuation in fuel prices here has been so far above the median that there is an expectation that people will just continue to do what they do and that significant measures will be needed to encourage a move to electric vehicles. The feedback we are getting is that the lack of infrastructure for charging such vehicles is a big disincentive and one which needs to be borne in mind. Pushing up the price of carbon and changing the tax model will not necessarily solve the range anxiety that exists for so many people.

The position is the same in the context of encouraging people to insulate their homes or properties regardless of whether they are owner-occupied. It comes down to the incentives put in place rather than just looking at the annual cost. That is something we will have to examine. Have our guests considered what would be the impact on the economy in general if we were to make those significant changes to which reference has been made? We are going to have to invest large amounts of money in the economy if we are to support, by means of incentives, the deep retrofitting of homes to a much greater extent. The figures are there and we can go through them. There are only really pilot-type projects, although the Government would seem to indicate that it is a significant investment. It is proof of concept really because there would have to be a much greater level of investment and deep retrofitting in order for there to be any impact. Have the witnesses examined the matter in another way rather than saying that, on the basis of the need to purchase carbon credits, we are going to have to pay X amount? In the context of investment, what would it take to avoid that burden and what positive impact would that have on the economy? Have our guests examined the numbers in that regard?