Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

I will publish an energy policy consultation paper in the coming months that will set out medium and long-term perspectives for national energy policy. The policy proposals will be informed by projections for growth in energy demand and related economic and demographic trends as well as the key imperative to ensure sustainability and security of energy supplies and fuel diversity.

The current target for renewable energy is to more than double the contribution to electricity production from renewable energy technologies to 13.2% by 2010. Targets beyond the 2010 target will be determined in the context of the all-island electricity market. We are progressing an all-island vision for renewable energy by 2020 and beyond that we will set future all-island targets.

The realisation of indigenous fuel supply potential, including Corrib, will make a critical contribution to national security of supply. We will continue to encourage further exploration for oil and gas. The development of the east-west electricity interconnector is a critical and immediate priority for Government. Decisions need to be made now to deliver on this strategic infrastructure by 2011. At my request, the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, is finalising its advice to me on the legal, technical and financial arrangements for commissioning the development.

Following completion of the current technical and planning phase, the construction phase of the second North-South interconnector is set to begin in 2007, and the target date for having the interconnector operational is 2012.

The adequacy of supply to meet demand is analysed in the generation adequacy report by ESB national grid and by the gas capacity statement by the CER. The most recent assessments concluded that the gas transmission system will cope with forecast demand for the foreseeable future and the electricity generation capacity should be manageable up to 2009, predicated on the provision of planned new generating stations.

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