Mr. Barry Sharkey:

I am here to speak about the expansion of solar in Ireland on behalf of the many small companies that are already engaged in the roof-top solar business. My submission is about regional development, the creation of long-term, highly-skilled, sustainable jobs and the stimulation of a new industry in clean technology, which is struggling to get off the ground in Ireland. It is also about improving the competitiveness of Irish businesses and farming. I have heard nothing this evening about energy poverty and nothing about the people in homes who are struggling to pay their electricity bills. I read in one submission that it is predicted that energy prices in Ireland will increase by 36% over the next ten years and that it is proposed to increase the PSO levy for everybody by 6%. I am making this submission on behalf of consumers, the people who pay their electricity bills and the PSO levy, which is being divided between all the other industries.

The White Paper contains many paragraphs about the need to engage citizens and communities in the energy transition policy and the benefits of moving to green energy. However, I have not heard much about this evening. Approximately 10% of the PV energy that will be generated in Ireland in the future will come from roof-top solar on farm buildings, factories, shops and homes. This 10% is very important. I am proposing that roof-top solar be incentivised. Last night's "Prime Time" programme addressed the serious consequences of a harsh Brexit for the farming industry and rural communities. In terms of roof-top solar, farmers have acres of ready-to-go sites with grid connections, as have our industries, shops, homes and sports clubs. Every sports club in the country has a building on site. These are all ready-to-go sites with grid connections, planning permission and so on. If my proposal is not taken on board we will have renewable industry that will meet our targets and we will have solar PV which will meet our targets but there will be no clean tech industry, no regional development, no regional job creation and no relief for households. In every developed country in the world, roof-top solar was rolled out first. California is the prime example of how to do this right. It did not go straight to an auction system. The only country in Europe, of which I aware, that went straight to an auction system for solar PV is Greece and that was a disaster. Today, I am proposing that roof-top solar be incentivised sooner rather than later.