Mr. Declan Meally:

Identifying the funding, including within the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund, helps us build on what we have done with the pathfinders. Accompanying that funding and any funding in the future has to be capacity and resources in the sector, with design teams and all of that to be able to deliver the projects.

Regarding the Senator's question on working with industry, the biggest energy emissions are from our homes and transport. Then it is coming down to industry. Industry is playing its part and reducing emissions and it is being forced to do so through corporate social responsibility. We are working with the largest industry energy users, 250 across the country, which account for about 80% of industry emissions. Each of those sectors are actively working on reducing emissions, and showing employees this is what they are doing. They have to decarbonise. They are being pushed by investors, and from a corporate social responsibility perspective they want to do it as well.

The Senator mentioned an increase. They may be taking on some energy increase but they are looking at doing that in a decarbonised way. As I explained in response to a previous question, we are working with them to design out the energy in the first place in any plants that are coming or refurbishments. We are working with them and the IDA to make sure they are as efficient as possible. Industry is playing its part and we are seeing good responses on that. The priorities are homes and transport, and then onto industry and the commercial and public sector. We are working across each of those.