Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)
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198. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment given that our country has banned fracking due to its well-documented impacts on public health and the environment, how he justifies the importation of fracked gas from the United States, where communities have suffered severe health and environmental consequences from this practice; if he will ensure that our energy policies do not contribute to the harms we have deemed unacceptable within our own borders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13614/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As outlined in the Programme for Government, this 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.

In the Programme for Government we also set out our commitment 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 we will deliver a secure and sustainable energy future.

The commitment to a secure energy future builds upon the 'Energy Security in Ireland to 2030' report, approved by Government in November 2023. The report includes 28 actions and is defined by three policy objectives: sustainability, affordability, and security.

Action 17 of the Plan is the development of a state-led strategic gas reserve. On March 4th this year, Government approved the development of a State-led strategic gas emergency reserve, in the form of a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit, for use in the event of an interruption to gas supplies.

A state-led strategic gas emergency reserve, operating on a non-commercial basis for use only in the event of an emergency, would provide resilience to the gas system and mitigate against the major consequences for our society and our economy that would arise from a significant gas supply disruption in Ireland.

My Department is developing the appropriate policy and legislative measures to ensure that a strategic reserve provides the resilience to our energy system in a manner that:

• does not inadvertently increase gas demand by increasing the supply available on the market; and
• is compatible with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act.