Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 18 April 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action

Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) Bill 2023

Mr. Evan Walker:

We work for the Government's economics and evaluation service. We thoroughly evaluate all proposals that come in. It was borne out quantitatively that this was a credible risk. Our job involves a dual mandate, namely, to maximise the captured windfall gain and minimise risk. It would be a different conversation if we were in here and an oil refinery closed during the middle of an energy security crisis. We would be asked why we did not take feedback on board.