Mr. Jerry McEvilly:

Thank you. I was saying that under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, as amended last year, public bodies are required to have regard to, and to align with, the national climate objective and the climate action plan. That is quite important in terms of obligations on public bodies in considering energy security.

On the Green Party solar Bill last year, that was a welcome development but, to be frank, we have not seen any change in response from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I recommend that this committee invite the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to meet the committee to address solar specifically. I also note that in terms of ways of reducing fossil fuel demand quickly for this winter UCC MaREI, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, has recommended targeting 250,000 solar photovoltaic, PV, installations on homes, given that it would reduce fossil fuel use.

Finally, on LNG, one important consideration regarding a private terminal is that the private operator would want to make back its capital investment as soon as possible. However, at the same time, in accordance with our climate obligations gas demand is to be reducing. The concern here is that at the very time gas demand and gas usage are supposed to reduce, an LNG terminal may lock in expensive gas usage. That contradiction must be addressed as well.