Ms Siobh?n McHugh:

It is a very simple answer, zero, unfortunately. As we said in our submission, there have been some excellent actions in the climate action plan and, among them, around demand-side strategy there are a number of different initiatives. Levels of engagement are extremely poor and have been extremely low, and we would also say the same as to a lack of consultation with the regulator, unfortunately. We are aware this is on the regulator's agenda as part of the climate action plan.

We need a whole-of-system thinking and approach. It is evident from many of the parties who have come before the committee that this is not for any one element of the sector to solve. It is something we need to do together. As we said, we come together as a part of Renewable Energy Ireland, REI, and look at how policy and markets and technical use of these solutions can be used to meet our targets. Demand response is a proven, reliable, efficient means of providing services to the grid. It is operating now and has been for the better part of a decade. Even before that, it provided services in more rudimentary forms. The question is how best it can be utilised. We give great credit to our colleagues for being world-leading in how they have integrated renewables into our power system. Our members and those in the sector, across response and storage and different technologies, operate globally and have global knowledge of the different types of markets as well as the technical capabilities, and that needs to be harnessed as part of that strategy.