Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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29. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way that he will ensure that Ireland will receive enough to supplement the national effort to address the pressing issue of energy costs as the European Union introduces community-wide supports, policies and initiatives that lessen the impact of the energy crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46751/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Russia's unjustified and unprovoked war against Ukraine has highly impacted energy in Europe. EU countries are closely coordinating actions to tackle these rising prices and secure our energy. I attended the Extraordinary Energy Council meeting on 9 September 2022 to exchange views on the energy situation in the EU. The meeting was split into two parts, the first sessions covering policy options to alleviate the burden of high energy prices and the second session on the state of play of the preparedness of Member States for the coming winter.

In respect of the extremely high energy prices discussion, the Council covered four main areas in which the Member States expect the Commission to act. These include capping the revenues of electricity producers that face low production costs; a possible price cap on gas; measures for a coordinated electricity demand reduction across the EU and measures that would help to solve the issue of decreased liquidity.

The Commission have since proposed legislation and this is already under urgent negotiation by Member States in order to have agreement by the end of the month. We are supportive of the overall approach being taken by the Commission and will cooperate closely with other Member States to get the Regulation agreed swiftly.

The Council also covered Member States preparedness for this winter. Member States have carried out several actions both at national and EU level. They have in particular adopted a regulation to fill gas storages and share them in a spirit of solidarity, diversified supply sources and committed to reducing gas demand by 15% this winter. EU underground gas reserves have been filled to 82.5% of their capacity, well ahead of the 1 November deadline set in the gas storage regulation.