Ms Aoife MacEvilly:

On the planning question first of all, it is not necessarily our area of expertise but there are some potential options. The Attorney General had announced a review of the overall planning system and we would welcome the expedition of that. Very specifically, there are EU regulatory requirements for expedited processes for renewable projects, given their importance. For example, there are periods within which the entire planning process - all aspects of environmental permits and so on - must be completed in order to expedite those projects. We welcome seeing that being transposed. More recently, the REPowerEU package last year noted the need to expedite the connection of renewables but also the supporting grid - in other words, the necessary network infrastructure in order to not just build the renewables but connect them effectively into the network so that they can deliver the benefits for customers and that those could be considered in the overriding public interest, which is a particular route and option that could be used to expedite planning. Those are the kinds of areas that we think are worth considering, which are set out in the EU regulatory toolbox and that might support expedited planning processes. We have also called out the need to support the local authorities and An Bord Pleanála to ensure they have sufficient staff, inspectors and other resources to expedite the projects. They are independent agencies that have to go through thorough processes, which they must ensure are robust, but they must have the resources to do it more quickly so that the projects that can be delivered can be delivered more quickly. That is our view on the planning side. It is about process and resources.

In terms of the demand side, generally I agree that we are at the very start of looking at what demand side can deliver. For a system that has an 80% renewables target and, further, would be looking to be a zero-carbon electricity system in time, it is imperative that we optimise demand side as part of our future network. We must change our thinking on how we plan electricity systems and incorporate demand side more effectively.