Today, as I have done in the past, I raise again the urgent necessity for confirmation from EirGrid as to the adequacy for non fossil-fuel dependent generation of electricity to meet the domestic and industrial requirements over the next two years, in particular, and for it to outline its plans to enhance that generation of non-fossil fuel electricity in that period.

I thank the Deputy for his brevity.

Can I ask the Deputy to repeat that question, please, as I did not hear him?

I was premature in my compliments to the Deputy.

I know, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Can we get from EirGrid an assurance of its ability to meet the domestic and industrial electricity load over the next two years and have it outline also its plans to enhance the generation of non-fossil fuel-dependent electricity in the same period?

I thank the Deputy. We have had some briefings from EirGrid and from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in Ireland, CRU, in recent weeks and they have developed a plan to ensure that we will have enough electricity not just this winter but for the next four or five winters and that we can cater for increased demand for electricity from industry and households over that period. It involves more renewables but also leaving some power stations operating that it had intended to close. These will need to continue to operate for another couple of years. It also involves new auctions for energy and some new capacity by way of new turbines.