Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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116. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he will implement to ensure there are adequate safety measures in place in relation to the development of battery energy storage systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27630/24]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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117. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is satisfied that there are adequate safety measures in place in relation to the development of battery storage systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27640/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 117 together.

27630 and 27640 together. Different aspects of the safety and regulatory regime for electricity storage systems, including battery electricity storage systems (BESS), are handled by different sets of regulations and regulatory bodies here in Ireland.

Regarding battery classification and standardisation, Ireland conforms to EU legislation. All batteries in Ireland are manufactured, sold and operated in line with EU regulation and standards, this includes safety certification and labelling for the marketing and the putting into service of batteries used in electrical storage systems.

EU Directive (2023/1542) – ‘Concerning Batteries & waste batteries’, sets out the homogenisation of electricity storage batteries as well as the safety testing and certification requirements relevant to battery energy storage systems. This includes Lithium-Ion Battery Electricity Storage System (Li-BESS) which may deliver electric energy to the grid or store electricity for delivery to electric energy end users.

The batteries used in electricity storage systems in place on the Irish grid also conform to European standards (EN). A European standard (EN) once published by the CEN and CENELEC is considered a national standard and all member states have the obligation to withdraw any national standards that conflict with it.

In Ireland, it is the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), under the remit of the Minister for Business, Employment and Retail, at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, who ensures the adoption of European standards.