Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to require the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to draft and publish a hydrogen strategy within six months of the passing of this Act.

I welcome the opportunity to introduce the Bill, along with my colleagues Deputies Réada Cronin, Johnny Guirke and Maurice Quinlivan. Hydrogen generated from renewable energy sources through electrolysis of water is emerging as a sustainable solution for the decarbonisation of many sectors. It has, for example, the potential to act as a store of surplus renewable energy, an alternative source of heat for homes and businesses and an alternative source of fuel in the transport sector, including for long haul and heavy goods vehicles, HGVs. In the words of Ms Marie Donnelly, chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council, in response to me in a recent Oireachtas committee meeting, there is a lot of talk about hydrogen at the moment but perhaps not enough strategic planning around it. We need a plan and we need to get the picture on the page so that we can see what it looks like. This Bill calls on the Minister to publish a green hydrogen strategy within six months of its passing and sets out the framework for that strategy. It is an important and necessary step.

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