Liz McManus
Question:74 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the Government's policies and priorities with regard to energy conservation and particularly the promotion of the greater use of renewable energy.
Written Answers. - Energy Conservation Programme.
The National Development Plan specifically identifies the need to ensure that energy is consumed as efficiently as possible as a primary objective of Irish energy policy. Over the life of the plan, it is proposed to provide considerably increased funding for a series of efficiency measures which will focus directly on boosting the efficiency of energy use by the consumer. These measures, among which is the establishment of an Irish energy centre, will expand on and considerably strengthen the existing National Energy Conservation Programme.
The Government, in line with its commitment to the greater utilisation of appropriate alternative energy sources, has recently set 75MW as the target for the generation of electricity, to be obtained from additional alternative energy sources, before 1997. Our Department, in consultation with the ESB, is developing a competitive scheme to ensure that such supplies are available before 1997 from independent producers. This scheme, details of which I hope to announce shortly, is expected to further encourage the development of alternative sources which are close to being commercial.