Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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203. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when his Department will bring the Energy Poverty Action Plan to Cabinet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10551/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Energy Poverty Action Plan 2022 set out the range of measures implemented, as well as key longer-term measures, to ensure that those least able to afford increased energy costs were supported and protected to adequately heat and power their homes over winter 2022/23. The implementation of the Action Plan has been monitored by a cross-departmental Steering Group, chaired by my Department.

An Annual Report outlining progress under the various actions in the Plan was published in May 2024 and is available on gov.ie.

The Steering Group launched a consultation to inform the development of a revised Energy Poverty Action Plan in March 2024. The consultation was open for nine weeks and closed in May 2024. The second Energy Poverty Forum was held on 24 June 2024 and provided an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss proposed actions for inclusion in the revised Plan.

The revised Plan will be brought to Government for approval and publication in due course. The Action Plan will set out a wide range of clear, timebound actions aimed at tackling energy poverty with appropriate governance and evaluation, and will consider the use of smart technologies to benefit energy poor households. It is intended that the Plan will build on and continue the policies and actions that have been driven to date by the existing Plan, and where appropriate, informed by stakeholder input, will supplement these measures.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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204. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set out the terms of reference of the research his Department has commissioned SEPA to undertake on better meeting the energy security risk through the electricity generation sector; when he expects this research to be completed; what the cost of the research is; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10552/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Department engaged CEPA (Cambridge Economic Policy Associates Ltd) in December 2024 to update their previous modelling which informed the Energy Security Package in 2023. The aim of this additional modelling is to update the analysis of physical security of supply in Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems in 2035 and 2040, using the latest available data, to assess if the key risks and mitigation actions identified in CEPA’s 2022 analysis of security of energy supply are still relevant and appropriate in the period up to 2040 (previous analysis covered the period up to 2030).

Gas demand is expected to drop through the course of the decade from 2030 and production of renewable gases are set to increase as well as the introduction of renewable gas compatible storage. This will enable security of supply benefits to be delivered without committing to a long-term dependence on natural gas.

CEPA were requested to carry out further analysis to test the potential security of supply impacts, on the following scenarios:

- a disruption to pipeline imports of natural gas from GB through the largest single piece of gas infrastructure (IC2);

- disruption to all pipeline imports of natural gas from GB (both IC1 and IC2).

Both scenarios were modelled assuming a period of 30-day disruption and a period of 6 months disruption, as this is the length of time it takes to repair damage to a subsea pipeline.

CEPA are also tasked with assessing the ‘gap’ in gas supply for gas and power systems under the disruption scenarios without additional mitigations, and Ireland's ability to meet the N-1 infrastructure standard for gas with and without additional mitigation. Based on preliminary report provided to the Department, CEPA has found that Ireland is unlikely to meet the N-1 infrastructure standard for gas during the 2030s, in the way defined in EU regulations and assessed against a 1-in-50 peak gas demand forecast, especially due to high peak gas demand in the power sector.

My Department intends to publish this updated modelling in due course.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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205. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the research his Department has commissioned SEPA to undertake on better meeting the energy security risk through the electricity generation sector includes a) an analysis of gas demand in Ireland in the post 2023 period b) the emissions associated with a floating gas storage terminal c) and the security of a floating gas storage terminal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10553/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Department engaged CEPA (Cambridge Economic Policy Associates Ltd) in December 2024 to update their previous modelling which informed the Energy Security Package in 2023. The aim of this additional modelling was to update the analysis of physical security of supply in Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems in 2035 and 2040, using the latest available data, to assess if the key risks and mitigation actions identified in CEPA’s 2022 analysis of security of energy supply are still relevant and appropriate in the period up to 2040 (previous analysis covered the period up to 2030).

In November 2023, the previous Government approved and published the ‘Energy Security in Ireland to 2030’ report which concludes that Ireland’s future energy will be secure by moving from a fossil fuel-based energy system to an electricity-led system, maximising our renewable energy potential, flexibility and being integrated into Europe’s energy systems. With regard to gas, the report determines that as a transitional measure, we will examine the introduction of a Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve to address security needs in the medium-term, to be used only if a disruption to gas supplies occurs.

Inability to meet peak gas demand during a cold spell would mean curtailing gas demand to balance the system. By 2030, 80% of our electricity is expected to be produced from renewables, meaning our overall gas demand is expected to decline. However, the electrification of the heat and transport sector will mean increased peak day electricity demand. During those periods where variable renewable generation is largely not available, gas back-up is expected to be used, particularly when support from batteries and electricity demand side response is exhausted.

Preliminary analysis by my Department anticipated that in terms of delivery options, a Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve, in the form of a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit, was the most appropriate approach. A strategic gas emergency reserve was considered to be required to provide resilience to the gas system to mitigate the consequences for society and our economy of a significant gas supply disruption in Ireland.

The additional analysis from Cambridge Economic Policy Associates assesses the potential gas deficit in Ireland’s energy system in the 2030s, and it is intended to publish the report in due course.