Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. This Commencement matter concerns the need to reopen Lough Ree power station. That is the issues I wish to discuss. Lough Ree power station in Lanesborough, County Longford, closed nearly two years ago, seven years ahead of what was to be a just transition from brown to green in 2027. The plant has the capacity to generate 100 MW per hour. We are in the midst of an energy crisis. We hear talk in the media of blackouts. I understand the ESB has a drawn up a list of towns that will face blackouts should this need to happen. There are businesses that are high energy users, which will be asked to go off grid, possibly putting people out of work. We know that was agreed in the most recent auction, which I believe took place in 2019, with regard to input into our grid. The reality is that those targets are not going to be reached by certain companies, including the ESB.

People are in fear about this issue but there is no need for that fear. If we had the capacity within our network, we would not have that fear. We have the facilities that are capable of producing the energy required, whether it is through Shannonbridge power station or Lough Ree power station in my local area, which has the capacity to produce 100 MW per hour. It can be done. The equipment is still there; it has not been sold off. If there is a will in the Government to do it, it can be done, and it can be done in the short term. We need to look seriously at that idea, even if it is only for the winter months, in order to alleviate the fear out there.People are dealing with high energy costs at the minute but the stark reality is that there is a possibility they might not have energy. If we have an extremely cold winter, we will be in serious trouble. If we have low winds, we are going to be in trouble. If the UK decides to shut off the interconnector we rely on between the UK and Ireland, we will be in major trouble. What will have to happen then is that businesses will shut down, and ultimately there is the possibility of a blackout in towns. Fuel can be sourced from peat that is on-site. There is 45 loads of it being drawn off the site every day. We have sawmills in the facility for chipping. We have an issue with ash dieback with which the Minister will be aware. A serious number of forests throughout the country have been affected. These trees could be cut down, transported, chipped on-site and burned. We would be alleviating another problem and contributing to the energy network in the country. We cannot have a situation where there are towns without energy, businesses shutting down and the possibility of knock-on effects on other facilities and hospital appointments being cancelled when there is no need for it. We need to bite the bullet, make a decision and put these plants back to work, for the winter months at least, to make sure we do not have a situation where we have energy cut off or any town facing a blackout.