Mr. Oisín Coghlan:

I will start with this question and then return to the question on communication. We welcomed the renewable energy scheme, RES. It was a long time in the pipeline. It is one of the most significant things this Government has done in the energy sector in terms of climate change. It is a really positive development, particularly at community level but not at the scale the Deputy mentioned. At the bigger scale it is good. It is good in that as it is rolled out it will have a specific community pot for community led projects such as the Templederry community wind farm, which is the only community-owned wind farm in Ireland, which took ten years to complete. Hopefully this type of scheme, solar or wind, will become easier in the future because there will be a specific pot for them. On the issue raised by Mr. Stanley-Smith, as stated in the NESC report on wind and public acceptance of a few years ago, we need trusted intermediaries and support agencies to help communities gear up to do this. As I said, the scheme is a really positive development. Equally positive in the RES is the provision that up to 20% of the share equity of developer-led schemes must be offered for purchase by the local community to buy. How much of that will be taken up and how much can be afforded by local communities is questionable but the offering changes the conversation because this means the renewable transition is not something being done to a community by large companies.

It is felt that it is something one is able to participate in either by leading something oneself or in partnership with a business. The RES is really positive in that way. What it lacks is measures at what we would call micro-generation level, which is more what I was talking about and being asked about. They basically said they could not deal with that in this scheme. They had to get on with the scheme and they would come back to micro-gen. The first nod in that direction is the household-focused grant for solar PV but it is only for households. While that is laudable and useful, as I said earlier the real opportunity for solar is on a community and small-business scale, that is, schools, sports clubs, community halls and farm buildings, which is on a smaller scale than RES. We have seen how we may differ from an analysis with the agricultural lobby sector so far. In this case I can say, and I do not think it will mind me saying it as I have said it already on a number of occasions, we are one and the same with the IFA. We think there needs to be a payment for electricity that is spilled onto the grid from solar from community-owned micro-generation, whether that is schools, sports clubs or farm buildings. That is what would really open up mass participation, not just of individual households but of that community spirit, but it is not yet provided for either by the RES or the solar grant. It is a gap which the Minister has said he is keen to address but as yet there is no sign that is happening. The European Renewable Energy Directive which was made this year says that ultimately, although it does not give a specific date, electricity that is spilled to the grid will have to be paid for. We do not have to wait for that to roll out and we should start the process now of designing that scheme in a way that is fair for everyone.