Dr. Ciaran Byrne:

I will answer at a high level and then bring in my colleague, Mr. O'Mahony. The Senator referenced the energy efficiency obligation scheme. We looked at that and at the underpinning policies around it, which are shifting towards deeper measures and bigger packages of measures. Again, the eye is not on the immediate future but on 2030 to 2050.

What has happened in a broader sense is that we are in a particular environment right now that is kind of mature. We look at policy and the length of time it takes with the energy efficiency obligation scheme and the consultation and that entire process. Events then catch up with us, as they say.

We are in the middle of an energy crisis. People would not have predicted at the start and the changes to the energy efficiency obligation scheme, EEOS, policy and obligations. We are in a switch towards deeper measures. I refer to Deputy Smith's comments. One of the contractors was doing shallower measures. A commercial decision made by one of the energy partners to move into deeper measures has led to that.