A full cost benefit analysis (CBA) is on-going to determine if it is mutually beneficial for Ireland and the United Kingdom to enter an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to facilitate trade in renewable energy. The potential for investment, jobs and growth, are among the matters under consideration. In parallel with the CBA my Department is also developing a Renewable Energy Export Policy and Development Framework. I have stated on a number of occasions that transparency in the development of the framework is crucial and that the views of local communities must be at the heart of the transition to renewable energy. The Stage 1 consultation on the framework, which involved the publication of Stage 1 information and summary documents, ran late last year, and gave all interested parties an opportunity, at the outset, to present their views on how the Government should develop national policy to realise the opportunity to trade renewable energy with other EU Member States including the United Kingdom. The process is moving to Stage 2 with the publication of the scoping report for public consultation in the coming weeks. National press advertisements and updates on my Department's website will inform all stakeholders of the commencement of the Stage 2 consultation. During Stage 3 the draft policy, the Environmental Report (on which the Strategic Environmental Assessment will be based) and Natura Impact Statement (on which the Appropriate Assessment will be based) will all be published and a public consultation will provide all stakeholders a further opportunity to contribute to make observations on the development of the framework.
Discussions with the UK on a proposed IGA are continuing. Given the commercially sensitive nature of the CBA it would not be appropriate to publish the details of the CBA at this stage of the discussions.
