Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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132. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government for an update on his Department’s work in relation to creating a green hydrogen strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30334/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The National Hydrogen Strategy was published in July 2023 and is our first major policy statement on renewable hydrogen and marks an important first step in developing an indigenous hydrogen industry in Ireland. The Strategy sets out our strategic vision for the role that hydrogen will play in Ireland’s energy system and as a key component of our zero-carbon economy. The three primary strategic reasons for developing an indigenous hydrogen sector in Ireland are to decarbonise our economy, enhance our energy security and create industrial and export market opportunities.

There are 21 actions set out within the Strategy to enable the development of the hydrogen sector in Ireland. These actions aim to remove barriers to early hydrogen project developments and to enhance our knowledge through targeted research and innovation across the hydrogen value chain, laying the groundwork to deliver on our long-term strategic vision. These actions have varying timelines for completion by 2030, and work has started on a number of them. These include identifying the amount of surplus renewable energy that will be available for hydrogen production, putting in place the legal and regulatory framework for this new industry including for geological storage development and examining the feasibility of exporting hydrogen.

We are currently in the process of approving a detailed implementation plan for the multi-year work programme set out in the Strategy, to ensure appropriate governance arrangements are in place to support delivery of the actions set out within the strategy. Implementation will involve a number of Government Departments including the Department of Transport and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, and other stakeholders. Careful planning and management structures are essential. Once completed, further clarity on the status of all actions set out within the strategy and the annual work programmes to deliver on these will be communicated. It is expected that the detailed implementation plan will be approved shortly.