Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 47: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps being taken to pursue the option of carbon capture and storage; the legislation that is required to advance this method of addressing CO2 emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10529/09]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

A report entitled "Assessment of the Potential for Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide for the Island of Ireland" was commissioned by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) and Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSINI). The report, which was published in September 2008, quantifies potential carbon storage capacity on the island which is in practice considerably greater than the actual total annual carbon emissions in Ireland from large single point sources.

The Department is chairing an Interdepartmental/Inter-Agency Group representative of all stakeholders which is examining the Report's recommendations as well as the complex range of regulatory and legal matters inherent in carbon capture and storage.

The Group will take account also of the new EU Directive which was agreed last December as part of the Climate Change and Renewable Energy Package. The directive, for which the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is primarily responsible, provides a legal framework to manage the possible environmental risks and liability issues which arise from carbon storage.