Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. However, I do not see many answers in it. He outlined how the programme works in terms of how we get the RESS auctions. He is right that renewable energy will protect households from price fluctuations, but it will not guarantee lower prices. We have the highest renewable energy prices in the EU. While some say we are the Saudi Arabia of wind energy in terms of potential, we are the most expensive for delivering renewable energy. Not only does that mean that households are paying more for their electricity, it also means that it undermines and jeopardises our green energy potential as well because cheap renewable energy is needed to produce cheap green hydrogen.

The auctions and bids are banking in the costs, including the costs of planning delays, excessive grid connection costs and inflation because the Government will not index-link the price, unlike other EU countries and Britain. Will the Minister of State give a commitment to consider the proposal to establish a body that will identify where all the costs are and how we reduce the cost of energy for households that are struggling at the moment?