Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 376: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the development of a contingency strategy for the allocation of energy resources in the event of a serious disruption due to international factors outside our control of oil or gas supplies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15022/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Energy security is currently high on the international and EU agenda as the global energy market becomes subject to volatility and high prices as a result of geo-political events and natural disasters. While Ireland is a peripheral energy market, we remained largely insulated from the shocks of the Russia/Ukraine gas crisis of 2009 and have not experienced supply disruption as a result of the recent tragic events in Japan and the ongoing turmoil in North Africa. Ireland is nonetheless working within the EU and the International Energy Agency (IEA) to ensure energy security of supply.

Energy emergency planning is a priority for my Department, the Commission for Energy Regulation and the energy industry. In the context also of overall national emergency planning, arrangements have been put in place to deal with a serious disruption to energy supplies, working also with Northern Ireland, the UK and with the EU and IEA.

With regard to electricity and gas, there are well established emergency plans in place. Given the importance of gas for Ireland's electricity generation, the Commission for Energy Regulation and my Department work closely together with EirGrid, ESB Networks, Bord Gáis Éireann Networks and the power generation sector to ensure that these emergency plans are fully coordinated. Joint electricity and gas emergency exercises are carried out on an annual basis. This is in addition to the routine testing of plans and emergency training that is done by the electricity and gas system operators on an ongoing basis.

The focus of these plans is, first and foremost, to maintain the safety and integrity of the networks in the event of a serious disruption. They are also designed to ensure that supply is maintained for as long as possible and that hardship to domestic and vulnerable customers is, to the extent possible, minimised.

In respect of a possible disruption of oil supplies, Ireland through the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA), maintains its national strategic oil reserves fully in accordance with the IEA and European Union 90 day obligations. The IEA, of which Ireland is a founding member, stands ready, as always, to take actions to maintain energy security of supply in the event of a major disruption.

My Department and NORA work together on an ongoing basis with all the relevant stakeholders in developing contingency arrangements in the event of a major oil disruption.