02/08/2001

New energy committee to be created

Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, has announced plans to create a new energy committee within an expanded General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.

Making the announcement, the Minister said the proposed new arrangements were a fresh start for energy consumers and that the new committee would build upon the work of the Northern Ireland Consumer Committee for Electricity (NICCE) and the General Consumer Council (GCCNI).

He added: "In developing this proposal I considered the helpful responses to the recent DETI options paper. There was unanimous support for a single, strong, credible, independent voice on energy consumer issues.

"There was also broad agreement that any new arrangements need to be properly resourced, with such resources recovered from the industry and dedicated to dealing with the unique complexity of energy issues.

"While support for the main options for change canvassed in the DETI paper was evenly balanced, I have decided that the best option is to create a new energy committee within the GCCNI.

"This option fits in with my commitment to the development of a new consumer strategy for Northern Ireland. It is also supported by the Assembly Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment."

The Minister concluded by saying that he hoped to publish detailed proposals before the end of the year and that the legislative process would provide a further opportunity for final views of interested parties to be submitted on the role and remit of any new organisational arrangements. (MB)

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