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

That is a good question. The real challenge in energy policy is how to meet all three objectives. In my mind, increasingly it is the environmental imperative that comes first because in tackling climate emissions and meeting the goals there it is a clear measure. Either we live within the sectoral targets and the national cap on climate emissions as part of the European Union and the Paris climate agreement or we do not. It is a binary, yes-no question: are we within our targets? When it comes to security and affordability, there are always a range of alternative ways to meet those needs. In security, you can reduce demand as well as looking at alternative supplies. That is why in my earlier comments on this question I made the case that the reduced use of gas would give us the greatest security. There are options in that. Similarly in affordability there are options: supports can be given or other measures can ensure the public is protected from price hikes and so on. The environmental imperative is by law, both Irish and European, cut and dried. We have to live within the climate targets that were set. We also have to meet our security and affordability measures, but there are a variety of options that will help us deliver on those.

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