Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste. The programme for Government was mentioned earlier. It rightly highlights the need to strengthen national security to protect Irish citizens, maintain public order and ensure the safety of communities in Ireland. We all hear about and are aware of reports of foreign actors probing underseas communications, energy infrastructure and other installations. While we hope our preparations are never tested, we cannot afford to be caught on the back foot when it comes to the national security of critical facilities and infrastructure like that in question. This is why the State-led strategic gas reserve, for example, is so important. That must also be dealt with on a secure basis and put on a secure footing. Ireland cannot allow itself to be in a position where large parts of the country are left without energy for weeks on end because of either an incident or, more worrying, malicious acts of other entities. Failing to deliver the floating storage unit is a risk that is neither acceptable nor appropriate for the Government to take. We must follow through on commitments outlined in the programme for Government, building the capacity to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging threats to our daily lives in co-operation with our European partners. It is an essential investment in the future safety and security of generations.

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