Dáil debates

Wednesday, 8 March 2023

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages

 

4:47 pm

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

The legislation relates to the licensing process under the EPA Act. It would not be appropriate to insert provisions dealing with matters outside the scope of the functions of the agency, such as reporting on electricity and security of supply. There is, as I said on the previous amendment, not just the collection of data but the public reporting of that. That is publicly available, in terms of the performance of the plant meeting its licence requirements.

I would be happy, if the Deputy wants to bring to the Dáil or committee a debate on that, to engage in that process. We have done so already. EirGrid, the CRU and I have appeared before the Oireachtas joint committee on as many occasions as needed and never constrained ourselves time-wise in that regard. The provisions of the EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Act 2022 require EirGrid to report to the CRU on a quarterly basis on the measures pursuant to the Act. The CRU is answerable in a similar way to the Oireachtas joint committee. There is nothing preventing such transparency. The EPA licensing system makes that available. Our business in the committee or the Chamber is debating, reviewing, assessing and monitoring the energy security situation. I commit to that but do not believe it is best done through the proposed amendment.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.