Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 636: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will make grant assistance available to householders who wish to go eco-friendly and install their own domestic generators, similar to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4713/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Eco-friendly domestic generation, or "microgeneration" involves the small-scale production of heat and/or electricity from a low carbon source. Market studies in the U.K. and elsewhere have found that, in the long term, supported by appropriate market development measures, such generation has the potential to make a contribution to the reduction of energy related CO21 emissions.

Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) is now working towards the launch of a pilot programme on microgeneration later this year. The CER has also recently issued a decision on micro generation. This decision is set out in the document CER/07/208, 'Arrangements for Micro Generation'. My Department intends rolling out further measures, which have significant long term potential should new generation technologies be built into all new buildings from their construction start.