Govt approves plan for emergency gas reserve off coast

The Government has approved a plan to develop a State-led liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal.

Minister for Transport, Environment, Climate and Energy Darragh O’Brien brought the plan before a meeting of the Cabinet this morning.

The floating facility at a coastal location would serve as the country’s emergency gas reserve.

This is a controversial form of gas that has already generated heated political debate.

The temporary gas reserve is critical to Ireland’s energy security as the State continues to transition to clean, renewable energy, according to a statement from Mr O’Brien’s office.

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The plan states that the emergency reserve will provide an alternative source of gas at an appropriate scale if Ireland was to experience interruption to gas supplied by subsea interconnections.

Speaking on RTÉ’s News At One, Mr O’Brien said he cannot rule out that fracked gas will be imported to be used at the terminal.

“The decision today was, effectively, to go with the legal position – which was the legal advice the previous minister got as well – we cannot differentiate between the type of liquid natural gas that comes into that terminal,” he said.

Mr O’Brien added that it would be “contrary to EU procurement law” to distinguish between fracked gas and other forms of the fossil fuel.

“The procurement of that gas will be a matter for GNI (Gas Networks Ireland).”

In an earlier statement, Mr O’Brien said given the country’s reliance on interconnection, “our exposure to potential disruption to gas supplies presents a significant risk to our energy security.”

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“This emergency reserve will provide an alternative source of gas at an appropriate scale if Ireland was to experience such an interruption.

He said the Government’s view was that the country’s “long-term energy security is best achieved through substantial growth in indigenous clean, renewable energy; improvements in energy efficiency; electrification of heat and transport; and increased electrical interconnection with our European neighbours”.

“This will minimise the imports of fossil energy in the long-term. In the meantime, the development of a state-led, strategic reserve will ensure the continuity of gas supply as an essential transitional energy security measure,” he added.