Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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118. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the independent report by a person (details supplied) which the Government commissioned into energy supply, security and wholesale market matters is complete; if so, when it was completed; if not, when it will be completed; and when the report will be published. [6719/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I engaged Mr. Dermot McCarthy, former Secretary General to the Government and the Department of the Taoiseach, to conduct an independent review into the circumstances requiring emergency measures to be introduced to secure electricity supply over the coming winters. Mr. McCarthy's engagement, along with the terms of reference for the review, were noted by Government at its meeting on 14 June 2022.

The review was conducted under the following terms of reference: to identify factors which have contributed to the capacity shortfall, including the possible role of the growth in demand for data centres and the associated policy; to identify factors which contributed to any underestimation of the risk of capacity shortfall; to identify factors associated with the respective roles and responsibilities, which may have contributed to this situation; to identify learning, which may be relevant to strengthening policy, capacity, governance and operational effectiveness in this area; and to identify any further technical analysis, which may be helpful in this regard.

The independent review by Mr Dermot McCarthy as to how the present situation has arisen has been received and is under consideration by my Department. This review will be brought to Government shortly as part of a wider energy security package and will be published thereafter.