Gas security and Kinsale pipeline
Deputy Stanton raised Europe’s gas supply risks and asked whether decommissioning the Kinsale pipeline and Inch terminal was premature. The Minister said gas would remain important as a transition and backup fuel, and future decisions should follow the energy security review.
We are all aware of the pressure on gas supplies in Europe. As winter approaches, this will probably get worse. The oil and gas strike in Norway is thankfully over, but it shows how precarious our one connection to Scotland is. We have no contingency for gas supplies or for gas storage. We depend on it to cook our food, heat our homes, power our industry and generate electricity. Many reports over the last week from experts have shown concerns about this. Does the Minister agree that it is premature to decommission the Kinsale gas pipeline and the Inch offshore terminal? Could the latter not be used, for instance, as floating liquefied natural gas facility in order to provide energy support during our transition to renewables? Will the Government move to stop that decommissioning straight away?
Comment on this
As the Deputy is aware, we are not directly dependent on a supply of gas from Russia. We get approximately 25% to 30% of our domestic needs from the Corrib. The balance comes in through interconnectors from the UK and Norway. We acknowledge the important role that gas is going to play into the future as both a transition fuel and a backup fuel.
Any decision about future policy and about particular facilities should best be made in the context of the energy security review which the Minister, Deputy Ryan, is currently leading. I expect that will come to Government in the coming months.