Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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144. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the projected total capital cost of the strategic gas reserve; the estimated annual operating cost; to outline the future mechanism for recouping the costs of the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10928/25]

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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145. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the projected annual additional cost on a domestic natural gas bill to fund the provision of a strategic gas reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10929/25]

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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146. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has been provided with estimates of the amount by which the standing charge for a domestic natural gas bill will increase in order to fund the provision of a strategic gas reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10930/25]

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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149. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he will identify the location for a floating strategic gas reserve; the agency that will be responsible for securing planning permission and operating the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10933/25]

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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150. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the conditions he intends to apply to the source of the natural gas stored in any strategic gas reserve; if it will be filled from the existing network through the interconnector or use an LNG carrier to refuel/refill the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10934/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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151. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment for an update on the strategic emergency gas reserve; the number of jobs this asset will produce; the length of time he anticipates it will be in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11042/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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152. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment how the estimated cost of €60 million per year for the strategic emergency gas reserve has been calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11043/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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153. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has considered funding the strategic emergency gas reserve directly through the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11044/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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154. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he is taking to ensure that the strategic emergency gas reserve is for emergency use only, that it is temporary, that it does not increase gas demand, that it is cost effective, and that it is aligned with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 as outlined in the energy security review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11045/25]

Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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160. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to clarify the use of the term State-led in relation to State control and the control that corporate investors such as a company (details supplied) would have in the operation of Shannon LNG fracked gas import terminal; and if, under EU competition laws, Ireland can have a terminal that is State-led and continue legally to refuse a commercial LNG. [11160/25]

Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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161. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is proposing investment in new fossil fuel infrastructure when the greenhouse gas emissions from a fracked gas import terminal would be more detrimental than the emissions from Moneypoint. [11164/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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164. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to report on the findings of Gas Networks Ireland following the publication of the 2023 energy security review; when these findings will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11196/25]

Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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171. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the use of fracked gas will be allowed to refuel the proposed floating storage and regassification unit as part of the development of a State-led strategic gas emergency reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11266/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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186. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 201, 202, 203, 204 and 206 of 4 March 2025, the way the development of a State-led reserve in the form of an FSRU is consistent with Ireland’s climate law; the extent to which he envisages a role for a commercial partner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11537/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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208. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if it will be possible to import only non-fracked gas into the State-led strategic emergency gas reserve; if this is the strategy he intends to pursue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12135/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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210. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the State-run strategic emergency gas reserve will be run exclusively by the State or whether it will commission a commercial entity to run it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12138/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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211. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment where the strategic emergency gas reserve will be located; and the estimated timeline for delivery. [12139/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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212. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which increased interconnection was considered as part of his Department’s plan to enhance Ireland’s energy security; the reason a strategic emergency gas reserve was favoured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12140/25]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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213. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the basis for the €300 million floating LNG terminal; if the cost includes the cost of constructing a jetty, pipelines, and connection to the grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12145/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 to 146, inclusive, 149, 150 to 154, inclusive, 160, 161, 164, 171, 186, 208 and 210 to 213, inclusive, together.

As outlined in the Programme for Government, the Government is committed to taking decisive action to radically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and to achieve a 51% reduction in emissions from 2018 to 2030, and to achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2050.

The Programme for Government also commits to achieving 80% of Ireland’s electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030 and to take all necessary action to ensure and protect Ireland’s energy security.

It is through delivering on this commitment that a secure and sustainable energy future will be delivered.

I recently received Government approval to proceed with the development of a State-led strategic gas emergency reserve. The delivery of a temporary gas reserve is critical to Ireland’s energy security as we continue to transition to indigenous, clean renewable energy. Crucially, the strategic gas emergency reserve will also ensure compliance with EU standards and regulation.

The emergency reserve will be in the form of a Floating Storage and Regassification Unit (FSRU), to be owned on behalf of the State by the system operator, Gas Networks Ireland (GNI). This is a similar approach to that used for oil security by the National Oil Reserves Agency.

In identifying this as the optimal approach, my Department has built upon the extensive review of security of Ireland’s gas and electricity systems which was approved by Government in the ‘Energy Security in Ireland to 2030’ plan in November 2023. The plan sets out Ireland’s ambition to transform our energy system and support our climate objectives. The plan includes 28 actions, under the pillars of sustainability, affordability and security. Under Action 17 of that plan, GNI was tasked with reviewing and recommending the optimal approach.

The extensive body of work that culminated in the publication of the Energy Security Package, has been complemented by the GNI report, a number of emergency exercises and updated projection regarding the compliance with EU N-1 infrastructure standard taking account of most up to date data.

The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve is a transitional measure that supports a secure transition of our energy system and the policy decision taken by Government ensures the risk of stranded fossil fuel assets is reduced, the reserve will be used for emergency use, and does not support increased gas demand. These provisions will be underpinned by policy and legislation that my Department is progressing as a matter of priority.

The facility will be owned and operated by GNI and public procurement processes will determine any future delivery partners. GNI will now progress the project through the relevant planning and regulatory structures. Final costs to deliver this strategic gas emergency reserve and the cost recovery model will be assessed and considered to inform a final investment decision. The financial, operational, commercial and regulation details will be finalised as part of these processes.

The approval of the State-led strategic reserve concludes the Energy Security review and related reports will be considered for future publication.