Windfall tax 'not going to be the dig-out we need,' says UCC researcher

Dr Paul Deane, a senior researcher in clean energy, said the idea of a windfall tax is politically and publicly very appealing, but is unlikely to be a "panacea" to the energy crisis

Dr Paul Deane believes the Government should look at assisting the most vulnerable in society through the energy crisis. File picture

A planned windfall tax on electricity companies set to be signed off by Cabinet today "is a drop in the ocean but not going to be the dig-out that we need," according to a University College Cork researcher.

Dr Paul Deane, who is a senior researcher in clean energy futures with Science Foundation Ireland's MaREI Centre, said that the idea of a windfall tax is politically and publicly very appealing. However, he believes that it is unlikely to be a "panacea" to the energy crisis we are having in the country at the moment.