Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

On the economics of the system at national level and for private companies and producers, the micro-generation of electricity is potentially a good source of income for farmers and would put their land to good use. Does the Minister agree that in assessing the economics of the case for micro-generation, one must examine its potential for making small farms more viable, which is an objective to which the Government and European Union are committed? It would also be economical from the point of view of the State in that it would use freely available resources, namely, wind and water. One then has the economics for the private company. Where the economics of micro-generation for the country and producers trump those for private companies, does the Minister agree that the State must adopt a policy to ensure the economics of private companies do not overrule the national interest and that, on that basis, a national policy is required? Will he undertake to examine the reason the tariff threshold here is 11 KW on three phases and 6 KW on a single phase when the average tariff threshold in Europe is 50 KW? Is this connected to the robustness of our grid? Is upgrading the grid not the answer to the problem?

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