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

It could be €300 million or €400 million a year. When Mr. Kenny came before the committee almost a year ago, he made the point that 67% of new build housing in Ireland provides for fossil fuel heating systems. Given where we will have to go on the climate change targets we will have to meet, in all likelihood we will pay to take them out in the coming decades. Why would we not immediately state, as the Dutch and Swedes have done, that we will have no more fossil fuels in domestic houses? Heat pump technology can bridge the gap. That would promote solar photovoltaic heating, heat pumps and renewable alternatives at no cost to the Exchequer with great clarity, simplicity and speed. Why is this not introduced this by law immediately?