Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The immediate-term key is that we continue to monitor international gas and oil energy markets and to consult with our EU and international partners on appropriate measures, if necessary, to ensure energy security in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The European Commission is engaging with other countries to ensure sufficient and timely supply of natural gas to the EU from diverse sources across the globe in order to avoid supply shocks, including those that could result from disruptions.

Nationally, my Department is liaising closely with those State bodies that have statutory roles in respect of energy security and emergency management, including the National Oil Reserves Agency, which is responsible for maintaining Ireland's strategic oil stocks; the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, which oversees emergency planning for gas and electricity; Gas Networks Ireland, which is responsible for emergency planning of the natural gas network; and EirGrid, whose roles include planning for and managing the electricity system during emergencies, and which works closely with ESB Networks, which has statutory responsibility for managing the electricity distribution system. The existing arrangements are being examined by my Department and the relevant agencies to see if they require any modification to deal with the specific challenges posed to energy security by the war in Ukraine.

In addition, the National Cyber Security Centre is currently operating at a heightened state of preparedness in response to recent cyber incidents and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The National Cyber Security Centre is in ongoing contact with its counterparts in the EU, the UK, the US and other countries to share information and to monitor possible threats. The National Cyber Security Centre continues to work closely with the Defence Forces and the Garda Síochána and is in frequent contact with operators of critical infrastructure and services to monitor for possible malicious cyber activity.

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