Ms Tara Connolly:

I wish to underline something because much of the discussion has been about decisions that have to take place in Ireland. European processes in Brussels can sometimes feel far away but I urge the committee to pay attention to the European gas market reform that is taking place. It is really our last chance to put in place the framework we need to phase out gas. Unfortunately, significant conflicts of interest have been reconfirmed in the recently revised TEN-E regulation on transmission system operators, TSOs, and distribution system operators, DSOs.

We need to empower regulators, other market actors, communities and the public to engage in local heat planning. This is under another regulation - the energy efficiency directive - but gas market reform needs to reflect everything else that is happening in terms of electrification, increased energy savings and the necessary changes in the gas market, particularly gas infrastructure. Some focus on this in terms of continuing the debate on reform until at least the end of this year, if not longer, would be welcome.