Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The first thing I will say is that anything that does not necessitate a planning application will make it cheaper to deliver on the roofs or tops of buildings. If one takes the commercial sector, in the majority of areas 98% of the country potentially can have such panels fitted as big as they may want on their roofs without a planning application, up to 300 sq. m. That is a very significant step. Households right across the country do not have to engage in the planning process. There was a very draconian limit in place prior to that. Again, this is going to be a very positive step.

On the grants and support question, these are obviously not planning matters and are under the control of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. We will raise those issues of affordability with him. We know that there is a very significant effort being made to try to transform our economy into a net zero carbon economy. This is a long journey we are embarking upon and it is going to take significant capital funding to unlock many of those communities. Where I am from, in very rural areas like Longford and Westmeath, one sees so many challenges in trying to get on a more sustainable footing for households. We will certainly raise those issues with the Minister but I must focus on the planning exemptions in trying to make it easier and cost-effective in planning terms so that there are no impediments to deliver these panels on their households or businesses in the areas under my responsibility.