Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I speak in opposition to the amendment proposed by Senators Cosgrove and Harmon, not out of convenience but because of my deep concern for the energy security and future of our nation. I stand in firm opposition to the proposed insertion that states “, subject to a clear prohibition on the development of a Liquid Natural Gas terminal,”.

This is not because I ignore climate change and the challenges we face, but because I refuse to ignore the energy realities that are already upon us. On 8 January this year, Ireland recorded its highest ever electricity demand of 6,024 MW. On that day there was no wind or sun and nature did not co-operate, yet the country could not shut down. Therefore, 80% of our electricity came from gas-fired generation. That moment was not an outlier. It was a warning, a clear reminder that until we complete the energy transition, natural gas remains essential and not optional. The National Energy and Climate Plan 2024 recognises that a continuous and secure supply of gas is crucial. It is a bridge to a renewable future, not a detour from it, and as we strive for the clean, green ambition, we must keep the lights on, the hospitals running and our economy moving.

Let us now talk about real, documented risk. On 26 September 2022, three of the four Nordstream gas pipelines were intentionally destroyed. Less than a year later, on 8 October 2023, the Baltic gas pipeline suffered the same fate. It was disabled for six months by nothing more than a ship's anchor. These are not hypothetical scenarios. They are facts and they are warnings for any island nation that depends on a single point of entry. Today, Ireland gets virtually all its gas from the UK via a single interconnection. If that supply is interrupted by accident, sabotage or simply market pressures, the consequences will be immediate and catastrophic. In November 2023, the Department's security of supply review was published. Its conclusion was stark. If our UK gas supply fails, we have no backup. Protected customers will not be served. That means our homes, hospitals, schools and businesses would all go without heat and power.Let us be clear. This is not just about discomfort. It is about human safety, economic survival and national resilience. The ESRI has warned that such a failure would cost Ireland up to €1 billion per working day. That is not a typo. It is a nightmare scenario with a real price tag. There is only one solution that provides full protection. It is a floating LNG terminal or a floating storage regasification unit, FSRU, like the one proposed for Shannon. It is mobile, low-cost, quick to deploy and geopolitically flexible. It is our insurance policy and it is the only one that would ensure we are never again one broken pipe away from a disaster.

The amendment before us seeks to pretend that these facts do not exist. It is internally irresponsible, strategically dangerous and politically populist. Worst of all, it gambles with the lives and livelihoods of millions of Irish people. That is a gamble I will not be part of. A just transition does not mean an unstable one. A decarbonised Ireland must still be a functioning Ireland. If we are serious about protecting our people, securing our economy and reaching our renewable goals, we must support Shannon Energy as part of a broader responsible energy strategy. I urge all Senators to look at the evidence and risks and to do what is right for the nation's future, that is, reject this prohibition and support the resilience Ireland deserves.