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

We treat it on an all-island basis, first and foremost.

The interconnector is connected with the Isle of Man as well. One has to remember it is an interconnection with the Republic, the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland. We have to continue to deepen electricity interconnection, not just with the new one coming on stream, but to look at further mechanisms. Increasingly, stronger interconnection in energy will be the key to both decarbonisation and getting security of supply.

I was thinking about most of the large energy users that I have met in the past two years, not just to discuss this issue but other issues around energy supply and what we have heard here today from CRU and EirGrid in terms of some of the flexible demand management. Use of their backup generation in our system will be critical, not just in getting through this capacity shortage, but into the future. New large energy users will have to play their part in both our decarbonisation and energy security needs. That will determine where they are located to support the grid, how their demand management is managed and how their backup generation is used to secure and support our system. They are aware of that. They know that their decarbonisation plans have to be in tune with the State's.