Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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164. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the context in which he wrote to An Bord Pleanála regarding the liquefied natural gas proposals at Tarbert, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13103/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government Policy Statement on importing fracked gas was approved by Government and published in May 2021. The policy statement provides that, pending the outcome of a review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems that is currently being carried out by my Department, it would not be appropriate for the development of any LNG terminals in Ireland to be permitted or proceeded with.  In August 2021, an application was submitted to An Bord Pleanála for a project involving an LNG terminal. As Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, I am listed as a Prescribed Body considered relevant by An Bord Pleanála to that planning application. In this regard I wrote, in October 2021, to An Bord Pleanála.

My letter set out the Government’s policy in relation to LNG terminals, as per the policy statement, and included a copy of the policy statement. The letter also noted previous correspondence from the Minister and the Department to the developers of the project, which had clearly set out Government policy in relation to LNG terminals.