Sinn Féin TD for Laois/Offaly, Brian Stanley, has this week secured the place of his Microgeneration Support Scheme Bill back on the Dáil Order Paper for further progression.

In the previous Dáil, the Microgeneration Bill successfully passed Second Stage with all party support and Teachta Stanley hopes to see the bill now progress swiftly through its remaining stages.

Speaking earlier, Teachta Stanley said:

“Sinn Féin’s Microgeneration Bill has the potential to give power back to the people in our attempts to reduce carbon emissions and tackle global warming.

“Our bill provides an opportunity for families, community groups, farmers and businesses to make a significant contribution towards renewable energy production.

“It will empower individuals and groups to take climate action into their own hands and to produce renewable energy which they can use themselves or sell back to the grid.

“The bill will allow small-scale production of electricity through solar or wind energy production. It will allow any excess electricity produced by small-scale micro-generators, whether households or farms, to be fed into the grid and for householders to be paid for it, which is currently not provided for.

“This is an area in which we lag behind many of our neighbours and we need to get a move on.

“People want to see tangible solutions to climate change. They want to see immediate action in which they can play a role whether it is in their own home or through their local community GAA club. This Bill would allow for that change to happen.

“The Microgeneration Bill successfully passed Second Stage in the previous Dáil with cross-party support and was further scrutinised by eight separate climate stakeholders in the Climate Committee.

“I am hopeful that that we can work with all parties in the Dáil to ensure that this Bill moves quickly through its remaining stages before being enacted into law.”