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

Work is under way on a number of initiatives in this vein as outlined in Climate Action Plan 2023, CAP23. That plan includes a commitment to carry out a public consultation on private wires, and a deadline for publication of quarter 4 of 2023 has been set. The policy area of private wires is broad in nature and, as such, detailed consideration must go into formulating the consultation to ensure all aspects of the policy area are considered. Publishing a consultation and, ultimately, providing a clear policy position on the issue of private wires is a priority for me. Work on this policy area is ongoing in my Department, with my officials engaging directly in recent months with interested stakeholders as part of the consultation formulation process.

Also under CAP23, my Department has committed to developing an electricity storage policy framework by quarter 3 of this year. A consultation was held early in the year, which closed on 27 January, and the responses are currently being analysed. My Department is now in the process of preparing the final framework and is engaging closely with key stakeholders, including Departments, State agencies and industry experts regarding the issues raised during the consultation process.

A hydrogen strategy for Ireland is also being developed, with an anticipated completion deadline of the second quarter of 2023. This strategy will set out the need for a robust safety and regulatory framework to be in place as well as the need to ensure licensing and permitting procedures are in place to enable sustainable indigenously produced green hydrogen supply chains to develop.

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