Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this very topical issue. The Government is fully committed to tackling climate change and protecting the oceans, but it has no plans to ban oil and gas prospecting offshore. Ireland’s transition to a low carbon energy future will involve progressively moving to lower emission fuels, for example, moving initially from peat and coal to natural gas and, ultimately, towards an even greater reliance on renewable energy. In that regard, the Government has introduced a range of policy measures and schemes to incentivise the use of renewable energy and deliver energy efficiency. However, oil and natural gas will remain significant elements of Ireland’s energy supply in the transition period.

The Corrib gas field demonstrates the impact indigenous supplies can have on Ireland’s import dependency. It went from importing 89% of its overall energy needs in 2015 to 70% in 2016. However, production from the Corrib gas field will peak and decline from 2019 onwards. Thereafter we will become increasingly dependent on imports of gas and be dependent on imports for 100% of our oil.

I note that the Minister of State with responsibility for natural resources has invited the joint committee to hold a broad policy debate on national energy policy to consider issues of competitiveness, sustainability, security of energy supply and Ireland’s offshore exploration policy. Such a debate would inform future legislation in this area.

The Government was not in a position to support the Solidarity Bill debated in the Dáil yesterday evening. If passed ,it would not reduce Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions or change or reduce our use of fossil fuels. It would, however, lock Ireland into permanent dependency on imports to meet our future fossil fuel needs after the decline in supplies from the Corrib gas field.

There are several elements to regulating the industry's exploration activities offshore. In 2015 the Irish offshore strategic environmental study, IOSEA5, process was completed with the adoption of a plan underpinning IOSEA5 and publication of the IOSEA5 statement. The objectives of IOSEA5 were to inform the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment of specific environmental considerations in its future petroleum activities in licensing rounds in the Atlantic margin basins, as well as informing the award of licences in the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea and providing exploration companies working offshore with an operational baseline against which they could conduct their work and ensure the protection of the marine environment.

Applicants to the Department are required to submit an environmental impact risk assessment and a Natura impact screening appropriate assessment statement in support of their application to commence surveying or exploration drilling activities. A review is undertaken for the Department by an independent consultancy appointed for its expertise in ecological and conservation marine biology. The review of the application considers,inter alia, the effects of seismic sources on adult fish, as well as eggs and larvae, based on the information provided in the application and additional scientific sources. There are also other steps, including consultation with fishing representative bodies, a requirement to have marine mammal observers on board vessels and engagement with fishery liaison officers.