Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct. I would not like him to interpret anything I said as an effort to underplay the real risk and threat posed by fines and penalties if we do not meet the renewable energy targets that have been set. I would not like anything I said to be interpreted in that way. Any shortfall in meeting our target would have a cost and we need to ensure we apply a high level of imagination, not only in the business and larger scale sectors but also in the domestic environment. However, the point I was making was that we must constantly assess the cost of incentives and balance their impact with the cost incurred through Exchequer investment.

This issue highlights the importance of pulling together all the strands of Deputies' experience and their views and insights on what should be the proper mix of incentives and supports to be put in place for renewable energy across the board. We have spoken a great deal about electricity. The Deputy is correct, however, that we must also discuss heat and transport because they are part of the picture.

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