Vol. 542 No. 3
95 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has given directions regarding future electricity requirements for both the domestic and industrial markets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24565/01]
I have not given any directions regarding future electricity requirements regarding either the domestic and industrial markets. On 29 July 1999, I gave a policy direction to the Commission for Electricity Regulation, in accordance with section 9(1)(a) of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, in relation to interim electricity trading arrangements. Details of that policy direction are available on my Department's website at www.dpe.ie/press97-00/press99/july29th99.htm.
96 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the extent to which her Department has investigated the possibility of alternative means of generating electricity to meet current and future requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24566/01]
The Green Paper on Sustainable Energy examined various alternative means of electricity production and established a target of a minimum additional 500 MW of generating capacity using renewable energy technologies to be built by 2005. In addition, legislation has provided for the liberalisation in its entirety of the electricity market for electricity produced from renewable energy and combined heat and power technologies as alternative means of production.
