Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Blaney for asking this question. The Climate Action Plan 2023 sets out a roadmap for taking decisive action to halve our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and to reach net zero not later than 2050.To halve our emissions and set ourselves on the road to net zero, we have to deliver, and accelerate where possible, the renewable electricity targets set in the Climate Action Plan 2023. These targets include 80% of electricity demand being met from renewable energy by 2030. Accelerating the delivery of actions in the electricity sector will be key to meeting the climate targets and staying within our sectoral emissions ceiling.

Meeting projected demand by 2030 will require enabling various forms of renewable electricity. As such, we have set targets to be met. These include 9 GW of onshore wind, 8 GW of solar and at least 5 GW of offshore wind. To deliver the generation assets required and the ability to meet the expected increase in demand, we must also deliver a heretofore unprecedented amount of national electricity grid infrastructure.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, is the independent regulator. It is accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not to me as Minister of State. It has been assigned responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market and this includes supervision of electricity system operators. System operators Eirgrid and ESB Networks are tasked with building, safely operating and maintaining an electricity system that is fit for purpose.

As Minister of State, I do not have a role in the delivery of electricity grid infrastructure. This is in line with the 2012 Government policy statement on the strategic importance of transmission and other energy infrastructure. This states the Government does not seek to direct EirGrid and ESB Networks or other energy infrastructure developers to particular sites, routes or technologies.

My officials continue to engage with system operators on the future of the electricity system. EirGrid, as transmission system operator, must operate and develop our high voltage transmission network. This network carries wholesale electricity around the country powering some large energy consumers and the distribution network, which, in turn, powers every electricity customer in the country.

Plan-led approaches will play a key role in the future electricity system. In July, EirGrid published version 1.1 of Shaping Our Electricity Future. This provides its updated road map to 2030 for the transmission grid necessary to deliver on the renewable energy targets as set in the Climate Action Plan 2023. To develop a grid that is fit for purpose and can utilise all envisaged types of renewable generation, both onshore and offshore, we must ensure that our future grid has appropriate access to neighbouring electricity markets. This is achieved through interconnection.

The North-South interconnector, which will link the grids North and South, will form part of the backbone of a fit-for-purpose electricity system, helping to ensure energy security and reduce electricity costs. EirGrid is engaging with local affected communities as part of advancing this key project. Separately, the Celtic interconnector will provide a 700 MW link between Ireland and the European internal energy market by connecting Ireland to France. Earlier this month, a delegation from the French Government visited Ireland to mark the start of construction of this key project.

I want to address some of the points Senator Blaney made about Donegal. There was no reference to Donegal the Senator put down, but I am happy to speak about it. Senator Blaney said he believes the vast majority of renewable energy generated in Donegal is being dumped. I am not aware of this. I am happy to look into it. If this is what is happening, it is not right and it should not be the case.

The North-South interconnector in very important. We have had years and years of debate, process and planning but it has now got to the stage where everything is fully consented and construction and development are under way. We are in the construction phase. Senator Blaney knows how important it is that if we have a surplus of electricity available in the North and not available in the South that we can balance between the two grids and have good interconnection between them. We have electricity interconnection to the UK but nowhere else. France is next, and we have plans for three further countries. We have approximately 0.5 GW of interconnection outside of Ireland. We expect that we will have 5 GW, in other words ten times more, by 2033.