Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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We have some clarity in that in 2010 the CEO told the Oireachtas committee that it was categoric that this was a Government decision. I think we accept that this was a decision made by the Government and was given as an instruction to the regulator to implement. The key thing for me is what analysis was done by the Department or the regulator to warrant the introduction of the subvention, and if the analyses were independent of each other. This is important because in February 2009, the then Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, told the Dáil that LEUs were seeing double-digit reductions in their electricity. In March 2009 IBEC wrote to the regulator asking for something to be done about electricity prices. In July, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, held a round-table discussion with IBEC and the IDA. Later in July 2009, suddenly this direction goes to the regulator saying we need a subvention. It seems the Minister, Deputy Ryan, changed his view from February to July around the impact on LEUs.