Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy's argument is that the Minister's powers are gone and he does not have a say. With regard to either gas or electricity legislation, the policy work is still done within the Department but the regulator decides what movements are made in the market, for example, price increases and capital developments. The regulator makes those decisions but that does not take away from the role of the Department and its input into policy. Departments are not involved in day to day direction of a regulator, nor can they overrule a regulator's report. However, the initial policy is made within the Department.

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