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

The Government's policy statement with regard to commercial or State-led strategic reserves or facilities stays in place pending the completion of the analysis by Gas Networks Ireland, GNI. It is not ruling out looking at onshore or other facilities but we expect the focus will be on temporary, strategic and State-led FSRU. We need to consider locations and other elements for the delivery of that, as well as the additional legislation that would be needed. It has to be done quickly. It will report by the second quarter of next year. The ordinary timetable for this sort of infrastructure might be five, six or seven years. We have to halve that because this is an interim period and a period of risk. As such, the quicker we can build it, the better.

With regard to the McCarthy report, the Deputy is right. We need to build out renewables quicker but, pending further interconnection and other storage mechanisms, there still would be elements of risk. For example, yesterday was a relatively calm day and this morning is the same. There can be several days in a row of low wind, particularly mid-winter. We need to balance the capability as we develop the storage and interconnection systems, and gas will provide that on those days. Even with those traditional renewables, we will still have to close the risk.

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