Dr. Paul McGowan:

Forgive me if I repeat myself. I go back to something I said in a previous appearance before this committee. When we talk about LNG, we are talking about gas security of supply and ensuring we have a secure transition to a zero-carbon future. This is the context within which we talk about LNG. We want a debate on the role of LNG in how Ireland secures its energy future and to be clear about what it is we would be saying if Ireland decided to have no LNG. We think it is very important that we have this debate so that the role of LNG is considered. I have also said in the past, and I still hold to it, that we need to separate the relationship between having LNG and importing fracked gas.

I cannot sit here today and tell the committee I can guarantee that, if we have an LNG terminal, there will be no fracked gas in Ireland, but neither can I say we are not already importing fracked gas via the Moffat interconnectors because it is being imported into an LNG terminal in Great Britain. I cannot give the committee that guarantee, but when we talk about LNG, we are talking about security of supply. The debate about how Ireland might address the issue of whether we wish to opt for fracked gas is a separate one. We are not advocating for fracked gas. We are advocating for security of gas supplies recognising we are predominantly a renewables and gas system for the foreseeable future until we get rid of fossil fuels.