Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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86. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to clarify the Government’s current policy on commercial LNG infrastructure; if he will progress policy banning commercial LNG infrastructure in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59709/25]

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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This is not the strategic, public-led, public owned infrastructure; this is the commercial one.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Tuigim an cheist. I want to put this in context. We go back to the Energy Security in Ireland to 2030 report that we published, and we published the Cambridge Economic Policy Associates report as well. We offered briefings on that too. A very clear risk was identified in that we have no gas reserve in this country. That is why we are proceeding with the floating storage and regasification unit, FSRU, which will be State-owned, State-led and State-operated. I expect we will receive a decision shortly from Gas Networks Ireland, GNI, on preferred locations. State-owned and State-led is absolutely needed and required. My focus is on expanding renewables, reducing our dependency on fossil fuels and moving away from them. We operate an open and transparent legal regulatory and planning consenting framework. Any application for fossil fuel infrastructure in Ireland will be subject to appropriate approvals by the relevant bodies. They also have to have regard to the provisions of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. Government policy on reducing fossil fuel use is set out in our programme for Government. We are absolutely committed to it. We remain of the view that long-term energy security is best achieved through substantial growth in indigenous clean, renewable energy; improvements in energy efficiency, which we have discussed; electrification of heat and transport; and increased electrical interconnection with our neighbours. The Celtic interconnector is under construction. We will have the MaresConnect interconnector, and we are engaging with European partners on another interconnector to continental Europe. Any application made for any fossil fuel generation is a matter for the planning authority, but it must have regard to our climate Act and our programme for Government.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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As the Minister will be aware, An Coimisiún Pleanála asked for guidance specifically on commercial LNG facilities and storage from him. His response to that letter and that request for guidance did not mention commercial at all. He did not actually provide a clear answer to the board, and he essentially gave the same response as he has just given to me, but that is not the same as giving a clear policy direction. The previous Government gave a clear policy direction on fracked gas. That is no longer in place. What I am looking for, and I hope the Government will do in recognition of the fact that it wants us to move away from fossil fuels, is a clear policy direction from the Minister to say that private commercial LNG facilities is not a policy the Government wants implemented in Ireland. That was the kind of direction An Coimisiún Pleanála was looking for. It will be making its decision on this in early 2026. Will the Minister please provide that guidance?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy knows, I received a letter from An Coimisiún Pleanála that was addressed to the wrong office. It was received months after it was sent. I thought it was a strange letter to receive from An Coimisiún Pleanála, but I did respond to it. I provided the Government's position on it.

The Deputy mentioned the fracked gas policy that was set aside. It was set aside because my predecessor received legal advice that clearly stated it was not legally sound and that policy should not differentiate between the type of LNG. It is a matter for An Coimisiún Pleanála to make a decision on a specific planning application. I do not mean to be evasive, but I am acutely aware that there is an application and proceedings relating to a specific application and I do not want to say anything that would in any way, shape or form be seen as reaching into the planning process. However, I did respond to the letter I received from An Coimisiún Pleanála. I responded to it in the timeframe that was asked. An Coimisiún Pleanála will consider the application as it is received. It is up to the commission to decide upon it.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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I understand the Minister cannot reach into specific planning applications, but what he can do, and the Government has a responsibility to do, is provide clear policy positions on energy growth, development and security in this country. The Minister has already done it in relation to publicly owned LNG. I am asking - and this would be in line with the climate Act - that the Minister puts forward a clear policy position to say the only LNG facility the Government will consider appropriate is a publicly owned one and that there should not be any consideration or development of privately owned LNG facilities in Ireland. The reality is, if a privately owned LNG facility is established, there is no way that any Government could justify spending nearly €1 billion on a publicly owned one. My fear is that if the privately owned facility gets the go ahead, the Government will quietly kick to touch the publicly owned one and instead rely on that privately owned one. It is really important the Minister is clear on this.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the point being made. We are committed to the publicly owned FSRU. We have actually advanced it. We meet regularly on this with GNI involved with my own officials and myself to expedite the delivery of it. Hopefully, the Deputy will see that in the coming weeks. I expect there will be a decision regarding options for its location, and indeed, its location. That is what the Government is committed to from an energy security perspective. That is absolutely consistent with the climate action plan. I want continued expansion of renewables and the acceleration of clean energy across all the different methods that we can, be they solar, wind, anaerobic digestion, AD, biomethane and all of that, to feed into our energy system. That is where we are moving. We are doing well but we need to accelerate that further. Any gas reserve will be State-owned and State-managed, and it is not for a private entity to deliver that for the State. That is not our position. It will be State-owned, State-led and State-managed.