The Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, has been accused of promoting peat-fired electricity generation rather than more environmentally friendly power, writes Eithne Donnellan.
The Irish Wind Energy Association criticised the payment of higher sums by the Department for power generated by peat than that generated by wind turbines.
"The peat-fired power plant at Edenderry is given a price of at least 4.89p per unit in end-2001 terms, whereas the best Government has offered wind energy so far is less than 3.8p per unit in 2001 terms," the association's spokesman, Mr Aidan Forde, said. "It gives a very poor environmental signal when Minister O'Rourke provides the poorest incentives to the cleanest forms of generation."
The cap of 3.8p was not workable, he said. "It can only be seen as restrictive. There is huge annoyance in the industry about it. The whole policy is a shambles. Our hearts are broken with it."
A spokesman for the Department of Public Enterprise said the price caps were established by the Renewable Energy Strategy Group, which comprised all the leading players in the sector, including the Irish Wind Energy Association.