Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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I am not a climate change sceptic. With regard to 20% of the €6 billion worth of fossil fuel imported, which is beyond dispute, we are in a very precarious position in being at the end of a pipeline. We may well have reasonably good power stations, but if there is nothing to power them, would the witnesses accept that we are in a precarious position? Could that 20% be increased? For example, in the future, electricity is likely to be used to a greater extent in vehicles, whether rail or cars. That is one of the three big areas we have identified where targets are not met. We have signed up to them, whether or not one agrees with them. Do the witnesses accept there is a good economic argument for increasing the amount of electric energy we generate, and that it will be used more prolifically in the future because it is already being used?