Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I start by acknowledging that community energy is really important. It creates a sense of ownership and belonging and the mechanisms that might work in the commercial sector have not worked in the community. The mechanism of auction has not proved appropriate in the community sector. It is because of this that a new scheme is being launched. There was extensive engagement with communities to try to devise a scheme that would be suitable and successful whereby instead of bidding for a price, a price would be agreed through negotiation. These are not, after all, large profit-making companies and a scheme that was more appropriate for a smaller community-led project than one that was backed with large corporate finance could be determined. I have full faith at this stage that it will succeed.

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