Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Ownership rather than independence is the issue in terms of operating the system. I would like to press that, but not here. The concept of smart metering is gaining considerable support internationally as a way for householders to gain greater control over their electricity consumption and as a means of feeding back into the grid domestically generated electricity, be it from a farm, photovoltaic cells, biomass or wind turbines. We do not have that facility.

It is ironic that the New Economics Foundation in the UK says microgeneration could save that country £35 million per year and that it is cheaper and faster to bring about than solar generation in terms of the energy effect, while, at the same time, there are reports that the ESB is interested in considering joining forces with a nuclear power producer to import French nuclear energy. Is it not time for the Taoiseach to put his foot down? If he is serious about being anti-nuclear, he should at least let the Irish producer sell into the grid before the French nuclear producer. There must be a priority in this area. Is the Taoiseach serious about turning this country round and giving it the energy supply it needs from green, clean, renewable sources or will he continue to pander to the French nuclear industry through the ESB?

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