60. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will invoke action 17 of the current energy policy in the Climate Action Plan and enact a policy to ban liquefied natural gas terminals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41443/24]

As set out in the Government’s ‘Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas' the government does not support the importation of fracked gas. Ireland is committed to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050. In future, most of our energy needs will be met by renewable energy which will be the anchor of our energy security.

The sole consideration by this Government of Liquified Natural Gas facilities is in the context of energy security. The Government does not support the commercial import of LNG as the development of infrastructure for the commercial import of LNG would be inconsistent with the decarbonisation trajectory established under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, as amended.

The Government policy in relation to energy security is set out in 'Energy Security in Ireland to 2030' report which was approved and published in November 2023. The report determines that Ireland’s natural gas supplies and infrastructure are adequate to meet our demand projections. However, Ireland does not have adequate resilience in case of a major disruption to our sub-sea gas imports pipelines and does not currently meet minimum EU standards in this area.

It is in this context only that a state-led Liquified Gas Facility was recommended in the Report.

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.

As a final element of the energy security review, Gas Networks Ireland are undertaking a detailed analysis of the strategic gas emergency reserve.

In parallel my Department are developing the appropriate policy and legislative measures to ensure the facility 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;

is compatible with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act and

does not support the Importation of Fracked Gas. www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/135271/3226a65b-c49c-458e-9ab9-83b2d1196af2.pdf#page=null.

Work to conclude the final element of the energy security package is continuing as a matter of priority; however, it requires additional analysis before returning to Government.

One of the issues on which further research and information is necessary, relates to the timeline for introducing such a facility and the timelines within which gas demand may fall to reduce the risk. That has to be examined very closely. We know that, in this decade, we are at risk and are exposed. Given the likelihood that delivery of a strategic gas reserve facility may not happen until early in the next decade, analysis is required as to whether the planned dramatic reduction in gas use, particularly in the electricity generation sector, means that an alternative way to meet the energy security risk might be better. For example, further electricity interconnectors with the UK or France or what is fast-evolving long term storage capability. This further research is something I have asked my Department to look at before going back to the Government and Oireachtas with detailed analysis.