Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Very shortly, but I would say it will be weeks rather than days. It has been complicated because we have considered a variety of legal, legislative and other measures. It has changed already in respect of the list of projects of common interest and so on. It has effectively been changed by planning decisions and other events outside our control but we will be giving very clear direction, as set out in the programme for Government.

In the future I have been talking about, we will need to invest in hydrogen, the grid and connectivity to give us security. I do not believe the importation of fracked gas has a future in an economy that is seeking to be a leader and to develop real skills and expertise in the alternatives. From the Corrib gas field, albeit a diminishing resource, we will have a supply of gas to our west for the next ten years. Critical to the energy future I describe and to making the whole system work will be energy co-operation with our neighbours, especially the UK, regardless of what happens with Brexit.

They, in turn, will not be able to deliver their climate targets or the new economy they talk about, as an isolated energy island. North Sea gas is depleting steadily, and the UK will require interconnection to Norway, Denmark, Holland, France and Ireland to have a balancing, functioning energy system. The energy system will be for electricity security as well as gas security. In those circumstances, we will be looking for investors in places like the Shannon Estuary who are willing to invest in hydrogen and wind energy, sectors in which we know we have a comparative advantage and will not have stranded assets. If we invested in liquefied natural gas, LNG, facilities, there would be a major risk of stranded assets and would not be in tune with our commitments.

As a country, we have shown real leadership on climate in recent years. The Fine Gael backbench motion to stop fracked gas in the country was very progressive and positive. Deputy Pringle's Bill to stop investment in fossil fuels was the correct long-term decision for the country. The decision to end oil and gas exploration was, again, the correct decision, made by the previous Government and this one. In that context, a policy signal that we will not support, facilitate or encourage fracked gas is the correct one. The importation of fracked gas is legally complex and difficult. I am conscious of European and other rules. That is the reason it has taken a certain amount of time, but that policy statement will be delivered shortly.