Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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My Department is currently finalising the energy security package which will address the energy security challenges facing Ireland. This package is focused on the period to 2030, but in the broader context of transitioning Ireland to net-zero emissions by 2050. The Government’s policy objectives are to ensure energy is affordable, sustainable and secure, as well as in line with Ireland’s climate targets and statutory carbon budgets. Underpinned by these objectives, the energy security of supply review considered the risks to both natural gas, electricity and oil supplies, and a range of mitigation measures, including the need for additional capacity of indigenous renewable energy but also energy imports, energy storage, fuel diversification, demand-side response and renewable gases such as hydrogen. The governance structures supporting the energy system, including oversight and accountability reforms, were also considered.

Six key pillars of analysis underpinned the overall response and recommendations and these will be presented in the forthcoming energy security package. These include the review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas networks; the studies by Cambridge Economic Policy Associates, CEPA, to support this; and the 450+ consultation responses to this analysis; the independent review of the security of electricity supply, which is the McCarthy report; the conclusions of the national energy security framework, NESF; the Government-hosted summit on energy independence in July 2023; the climate action plan, CAP; and ongoing policy analysis on oil security of supply. I have continued to engage with my Department officials over the summer to finalise the package and I have committed to bringing my energy security recommendations to Government for consideration in the coming weeks.

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The Minister, Deputy Ryan, is not here because he is representing Ireland in Paris by chairing a meeting of the international energy agency on critical raw materials.

This is a complex piece of work. It is a long-term strategy on how to protect Ireland's security of supply, not just of gas but also of electricity and oil. Therefore, a lot of work is required to get it right. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, said in June that he expected the review would be published by the following month. That was his expectation at the time and I am sure he is disappointed it took longer, but it is important it is done right. It will be provided very shortly and will provide us with clear guidelines into the future. There is a real future for the Tarbert terminal. It has a very good connection to the grid. It is in the Shannon Estuary. It will be the centre of future long-term sustainable energy and will provide economic activity and jobs in the region.

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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All the correct procedures were followed. As the Deputy is aware, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is a prescribed body for making submissions on planning applications and it is natural on such a large planning application that the Department made a submission. The decision for An Bord Pleanála was straightforward and it followed the correct rules. I do not think there is any room for legal challenge and I do not expect there to be a challenge to what happened. If there is, I expect that challenge to fail.

There really is a great opportunity for north Kerry and the whole region to achieve a long-term and successful energy future with economic activity based on renewable energy and storage. That will happen in the area. It will not happen by looking back to fossil fuels. That is not the way it is going to work.