Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Leddin and O'Rourke for tabling these amendments. As Deputy Leddin said, their aim is to broaden the functions of GNI to extend to new gases, such as biomethane and things beyond traditional natural gas, and give it a path to decarbonisation. It is also about preventing large energy users, including data centres, from directly connecting to the gas grid. I am interested to hear these proposals. I have not had sufficient time to accept these amendments on the basis I have not had time to legally check them through to make sure they are the right thing to do, but I will discuss them with members today. They can resubmit them on Report Stage. The reason for that is we will be in a better position to discuss the amendments on Report Stage because I will have had more time to legally assess them.

In the meantime, between now and Report Stage, the EU gas package is likely to have been agreed. That package is a combination of regulation and directive on the future of gas in Europe. It very much includes these considerations on decarbonisation and the use of biomethane. The Spanish Presidency expects to conclude the gas package by the end of this calendar year. I understand that it has gone through trilogue and is now at the stage of the very final technical issue being ironed out. I expect it will be ready by the end of the year. That is a European decision by member states on decarbonisation of the gas networks that considers how biomethane, hydrogen and other gases are worked into the grid. It would be unwise for us to legislate for that weeks before an EU decision comes out. If it does not happen in the meantime that is another question, but I expect that when we reach Report Stage in January we will be much better informed on that and I will have had a chance to discuss it. I thank the Deputies for tabling it.