Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department is at an advanced stage of completing this review. A detailed technical analysis has been published and an extensive consultation process has been carried out. The response to the consultation was extensive, with more than 450 submissions received from a broad range of individuals and organisations. The consultation responses were reviewed and analysed, and they have provided important insights on a number of aspects such as risks, mitigation options and policy measures. My recommendations must be cognisant of the need for energy security, affordability and sustainability, including consideration of our sectoral emissions ceilings and carbon budget obligations.

My Department is also preparing recommendations in response to the report Dermot McCarthy, former Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach, prepared. Mr. McCarthy has conducted an independent review into the circumstances requiring emergency measures to be introduced to secure electricity supply over the coming winters. The independent review has been received and is under consideration by the Department.

The existing policy on LNG is set out in the Government's policy statement on the importation of fracked gas. This policy sets out that, pending the outcome of the review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems, it would not be appropriate for Ireland to permit or proceed with the development of any LNG terminals.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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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.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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We are in an unenviable position but while we are on the road to eliminating fossil fuels, it is not ideal that we have had to bring in diesel as a short-term measure to deal with our difficulties. I am interested to know, in the context of the McCarthy review into the failure of be able to deliver some of the planned facilities, whether we can see a pathway to more effective delivery of some of these large-scale projects, which are crucial to the transition, on the most cost-effective and environmentally sound basis? Is LNG storage in other European countries an option that is being considered?

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The timeline, as I said earlier, is months and I hope it is within weeks. It will not be later this year, as I expect to be able to publish it in late spring or summer. I was expecting to publish the Dermot McCarthy report at the start of the year but it was decided, given that we were developing this further energy security analysis, that it would be better to publish his report in tandem with it. His report has been well received internally in the Department and the various agencies involved in it. It has provided a very useful measure.

With regard to Deputy Bruton's question on timelines and how we can accelerate, there are changes happening. Last year was the greatest expansion in renewables we have seen in our history. Last Thursday, for the first time, we could start to see solar power having an influence. Last Thursday afternoon, 10% of our power demand was provided by solar power. We are only at the very start of the roll-out of the significant new solar capacity we expect from the previous auctions and from coming auctions. It is starting to happen. The transition are starting to take place.

As a further measure, to give an example of how sometimes we can act quickly, I met the company providing the new emergency generators for which the House legislated. We are on time, one year on from starting the process, to deliver that back-up capacity which we will need. We have not had an amber alert for the past six months thanks to some of the work being done. It is not impossible for us to get out of the energy security difficulties we were in and deliver the alternatives.