Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I know what I am talking about. I have outlined what would be the effect of the Fine Gael proposals. The party should be careful about adopting such an approach in Government because not only would it kill an industry but it would also lead to increased prices. The alternative, local, cheap supply of wind is the Irish consumer's protection against the high price of fossil fuels. If Fine Gael were to follow the strategy it appears to be advocating, it would kill that supply.

The bulk of the money generated from the public service obligation is allocated to peat fired power plants. More than €90 million of the €156 million derived from the PSO has gone to such plants. If the Fine Gael Party is advocating switching off these power stations, perhaps its spokespersons should talk to its Deputies and Senators from the midlands.