Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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87. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment about Exercise Cathal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17919/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Emergency exercises are carried out to stress-test the systems and procedures in place to ensure that the Government, State agencies and wider stakeholders are prepared to effectively manage a range of potential emergency scenarios.

In accordance with risk requirements and annual winter preparedness initiatives across the energy sector, a range of multi-stakeholder simulation exercises have been conducted by the sector in recent years, especially since the onset of war in Ukraine and the associated impacts on energy infrastructure.

The National Risk Assessment (NRA) 2023, prepared by the Minster for Defence in conjunction with the Office of Emergency Planning, specifically highlighted an elevated risk to energy infrastructure and singled out an attack on gas interconnectors between Ireland and the UK as a potential worst-case scenario. My Department has responsibility for this risk and must ensure that mitigations are in place to reduce the risk and protect the system against its occurrence.

On 03 December 2024, Exercise Cathal took place in the National Emergency Coordination Centre (NECC). The table-top exercise tested the whole of government response to a prolonged gas outage in Ireland as a result of the two gas interconnectors being compromised, with a six-month repair time during the winter period.

The Exercise was led by my Department and was chaired by the Assistant Secretary for Energy – Security of Supply, Markets, and Retail Energy Policy. Exercise Cathal was attended by over 80 representatives from all Government Departments and energy agencies, and Fuels for Ireland (FFI). For further information, please see the post-Exercise Press Release on Gov.ie via the following link:www.gov.ie/en/press-release/5792b-exercise-held-to-test-response-to-hypothetical-energy-supply-disruption-as-part-of-ongoing-and-prudent-contingency-planning/.

The learnings and next steps from the Exercise were presented to the Government Task Force (GTF) on Emergency Planning on 11 March 2025.

Since Exercise Cathal in December, the Government has progressed the establishment of a Strategic Emergency Gas Reserve which will act as a key mitigant against this risk. Other mitigations identified as important in Exercise Cathal include enhancing business continuity plans across Government Departments, State agencies and a range of key sectors, which will be progressed in the coming months.