Mr. Mark Griffin:

The way the system operates is that EirGrid produces a generation capacity statement every year that looks out ten years and sets out the expectation in terms of the demand ask and the expectation in terms of supply if, for example, some plant goes off the system or a new plant comes on through the auction process. It will identify a gap. Those studies are in the public domain.

For dispatchable generation, there is a capacity remuneration mechanism that provides for auctions to be undertaken and companies to bid in, whether they are State sector companies like ESB or Bord na Móna or private sector companies like Energia, SSE Airtricity or EPUK Investments. They will bid in. That mechanism is, therefore, in place.

Clearly, over the last couple of years we have seen the supply-demand gap not being reconciled for a variety of reasons. The Government has made it clear - a policy statement was produced last September, although I could have gotten the month wrong, which makes it crystal clear - that there is a need for 2,000 MW of dispatchable generation between now and 2030.