John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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102. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the Project Dara war-game preparedness exercises for emergency energy shortages that were recently carried out; if his Department intends to carry out any further exercises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47491/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 102 together.

Exercise Dara, a joint energy emergency exercise was successfully held on 9 and 16 September to test the response to a hypothetical and unlikely disruption to Ireland’s gas and electricity supplies.

Ireland’s gas and electricity system operators have emergency plans in place and routine exercises of this nature are held regularly – to stress-test the systems and procedures that are in place to ensure that the government, State agencies and industry are prepared to effectively manage a range of potential scenarios.

These emergency exercises involved Government departments, State agencies and key stakeholders in the energy sector, including network operators Gas Networks Ireland, EirGrid, ESB Networks, and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).

The input from the stakeholders involved in the exercise will inform future exercises.