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

I thank Deputies for their contributions. I was not here for the start of the debate, unfortunately, because I had another meeting. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, for opening the debate and I am happy to be here to respond and answer some of the queries that were raised. We will return later this evening for Committee and Remaining Stages.

Deputy Berry and others made the point that we should not be putting through legislation in such a manner whereby we are dealing with all Stages on the same day. We do not want to do so and are doing it for only one reason, which is to keep the lights on next winter. It is next winter we are talking about here. If we do not deliver this legislation and sign the contracts for the delivery of the generators, which I expect EirGrid to do within the week, we will not have the time to put those generators in place. They are needed because our auction system going back to 2019 did not deliver the quantity of power we know we will need. It is a very clear, direct and immediate need. We were not able to get those generators in the auction process for a variety of reasons.

The former Secretary General to the Government, Mr. Dermot McCarthy, is reviewing some of the circumstances around that but, primarily, generators that had been contracted were not able to be delivered. People know that happens in the world today. A significant part of the generation was not able to be developed and delivered within the necessary planning timelines that exist. That is primarily the reason we are engaged in this emergency purchase of generation of 450 MW, having already agreed previously to do 250 MW on a similar procurement basis and in a longer timeframe. That will give us an additional 750 MW. Next winter, on an emergency basis only and if all other power supplies have been fully exhausted, it will give us additional resources to ensure we keep the lights on.

If we were not to pass this legislation, it is clear that applying the existing provisions in the planning system means we would not be able to start construction or deliver the turbines until after next winter. Based on the analysis by EirGrid, next winter is when we will have a particularly tight pinch point. We have one this winter as well. There is no guarantee this winter in the event that certain conventional power plants become unavailable, there is a protracted cold spell or our import capacity from the UK interconnector is not available. In a variety of circumstances, we could be in a tight situation. We are introducing this Bill for the very good reason, and no other reason, that we want to keep power available to our people.

Deputy Harkin, having been involved, as she says, in discussions on the habitats and other directives at the European Parliament, asked a valid question. This is not about disapplying provisions but rather applying some of the provisions that allow for this process to be taken in exceptional circumstances. It is not ignoring European law; it is the exact opposite. It is applying one of the provisions within the directive to allow, as I said, for this planning approach to be taken in exceptional circumstances.

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