Ms Aoife MacEvilly:

In terms of demand reduction measures, there is a mix throughout the EU at the moment of mandatory demand reduction measures and voluntary or market-based demand reduction measures. We are probably more focused on the voluntary or market-based demand reductions as a regulator. Those are the kinds of areas we have been tackling through what we are looking at through network tariffs. ESB Networks Beat the Peak scheme, for instance, which we think could really incentivise customers around reducing peak demand. Most what we are looking at is sort of market-based or voluntary incentivisation.

The energy security emergency group, ESEG, of which we are part, is looking more at what additional mandatory measures could be implemented. Those initially, at least, focus on the public sector. We will be participating in that ourselves. There is a real opportunity for the public sector to demonstrate leadership as well. As a public sector as a whole we have already demonstrated that we can reduce demand. We should generally look at all the other measures at which other member states are looking. I do not know if any assessment has been done around the scale of savings for things like the measures the Senator called out. We are all going to be called on this winter and, unfortunately, possibly into next winter at least, to do the maximum possible to reduce overall demand, peak demand and demand at times of system stress.