Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate what the Minister has said. It is obvious that the PSO is a vital policy support, as the Minister has said. We have great potential to transform our energy system from import dependence to becoming a global leader in renewables. Significant investment will be required. At present, there is an inequity at the heart of climate change where the causes and effects are not equally shared. Recent Governments have preferred an inequitable model, where there is a disproportionate burden on ordinary households and the wealthiest get off practically scot-free.

The indiscriminate carbon taxes place a disproportionate burden on those for whom alternatives are unaffordable or unattainable and they fail to deter the greatest emissions. However, the current Government, including the junior Minister, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, and Government-supporting Deputy Danny Healy-Rae, have agreed to continue to support these increases over the next five years.

The public service obligation, PSO, is another regressive financing lever which hits the lowest income hardest. According to the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, the cost of this levy is 12 times larger. In the programme for Government, the Government said it will explore other funding models that will reduce electricity bills for households and businesses. Will the Minister commit to some other funding models that will do that?

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