Mr. Eamonn Moran:

I thank the Deputy for that question, which was also raised by one of his colleagues at the December meeting of the group. The issue of incentives arose in the consultations that were undertaken by the NCCA in relation to the new L1 and L2 specifications. The NCCA advised that there was a significant interest in the consultation process for this particular subject, unsurprisingly, from a wide range of stakeholders and interested individuals. The NCCA got 740 responses to a survey it undertook as part of the consultation. It got 240 witness submissions. It had 13 focus group meetings with 275 individuals, as well as eight bilateral meetings and 19 one-to-one engagements. Therefore, there has been a significant amount of consultation material to get through since the consultation finished at the end of November. The NCCA has recently commenced an analysis of that input to the consultation process. The aim is that it will have a report on that consultation early this year. We will be keen to allow the NCCA the opportunity to examine the input into the consultation process and to consider it. This will also look at the issue of the incentives. That is where it is that at the moment in relation to that process.