Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is not that simple. That is an overly simplistic presentation. The CRU and EirGrid have statutory responsibility to ensure a balance between demand and supply. That is what this Oireachtas established. It provided the infrastructure. That said, the Government has met representatives of both organisations and it will be taking decisions in respect of immediate issues. Again, both bodies have advised there is a short- to medium-term risk to the security of electricity supply, and they have identified the main challenges, one being the lower-than-expected availability of some existing power stations. Two went down. Other challenges include anticipated new power stations not being developed as planned and expected growth in demand for electricity, including due to the growth of data centres. We are not ignoring the issue of data centres because, as I stated earlier, the CRU is currently undertaking a review and developing a new data centre connection policy to ensure the centres' operation is aligned with supply. There has not been any movement on data centres pending the outcome and conclusion of that review. The idea of simply saying data centres should be banned is not a measured response, nor is it tenable into the future.

The expected closure of power stations that make up approximately 25% of conventional electricity generation capacity is another factor. Hence, there will be a need to extend those by a year, if that is required, in the medium term. Short-term risks are reducing significantly because of the upcoming return to operation of the two key gas-fired stations. They are due back now. Their being down reduces supply. Any risks in this regard will not necessarily affect the supply of electricity to customers, particularly households.

On the energy cost side, the measures we take in the budget will have to address issues associated with the capacity of people, particularly low-income families, to meet fuel costs to try to protect them from the separate issue of the increase in energy costs across Europe, including here, because of the rebound of the economy after Covid-19, issues concerning supply from Russia and so on. There are many global issues affecting the oil supply and the cost of energy that we will obviously have to take into consideration in the budget to protect people in this regard.

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