Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On possible new schemes in 2016, following consultation, there will be the possibility of funding schemes for SMEs and households for things such as renewable heat incentives. Once those proposals and policies come to the fore, we will be in a position to elaborate further on them.

On tensions between Departments, I do not see what happened as a tension. There is ongoing engagement and it is important to note that all of the experience of the past has to be part of the conversations on new guidelines.

On whether we can put a moratorium on any type of development between periods of time, there are inherent challenges. The biggest lesson we can learn has two fronts. First, the community has to be pivotal in the conversation and local authorities can play a major role in that regard. Second, there is a great opportunity for communities to have self-sustaining energy production. I was in a secondary school a number of months ago which has an electricity bill of around €10,000 a year. If it had the option of generating and providing its own electricity, it would be a win-win from community, security of supply and affordability points of view. A lot of very concrete and competent submissions have been made to the White Paper at a community level. That is where we must have a focus.

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