Mr. John Fogarty:

In the renewable energy support scheme, RESS 1, the Department is hoping that any large-scale development would include a 20% community share. The problem with that is that the big developers are suggesting they share profit or that there are other systems for divvying it out. There is no ownership for the community. If a large-scale developer is building ten turbines, the community should own two of those. The community could then borrow the money to develop those because they have complete ownership.

It is an asset in the community and it would be able to leverage more money on the strength of that. It would make a major difference. Currently, if a community is asked for a subscription of 20%, those people must put their hands in their own pockets. No developers are putting their hands in their own pockets and they are using project finance to develop the other 80% of a project. If there is a 20% share for a community, it should be owned by the community. Networks have indicated there is a difficulty with metering in dividing it this way.