Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

-----that would be very helpful. I would also ask the witnesses to consider the planning and development legislation which is going through the Oireachtas in the next couple of months and how that can be leveraged to support the development of district heating in the country. There are two sides to it. There is the very specific licensing of thermal networks in public roads and public lands, which is not a simple process. It is quite complicated, no doubt.

There is something else about density and making sure urban densities are high enough for very good reason. If they are, then they support district heating which is ultimately a low carbon solution for our residential sector. In that regard, I suggest that the witnesses might think about our sister committee, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which is looking at that legislation. I think members there will be very interested in hearing what they have to say about it. I thank the witnesses once again. I also thank Professor Mathiesen, who had to leave earlier, for a very engaging and interesting session. We very much appreciated it.