Energy Security: Statements
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-29
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Timmy Dooley (FF), Clare

I thank all the Senators who contributed to this important debate. It is particularly timely because of the context in which we find this discussion. I have noticed a better understanding by our citizens when we talk about decarbonisation. For far too long, the conversation was just about the impact on the environment. It was not looked at more broadly in terms of the position that virtually all Senators reflected on, which is that this is about energy security and that we are not in control of our own at a time when we have other opportunities. It is important to look at that.
Senator Clifford-Lee raised some issues around assisting people in the retrofit programmes and that maybe we should do more there. The Department has done quite a lot, but of course it is important we always retain under review the supports that are there to move people away from the need for fossil fuels, or energy generally in their homes, and to reduce the dependence on that by making homes airtight. That is something the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is looking at.
The Senator also raised the issue of not closing the door on nuclear. We have to have a general debate about all aspects of energy. However, I have reflected both here and in the other House my concerns about what I am seeing around the country in terms of the resistance to wind turbines in communities and the difficulty in getting social licence, or getting people to accept the principle of even the smaller units being talked about for nuclear energy. The Government does not have any immediate decisions to make in that regard. That would only come about after a period of much consultation, where it would become clear that the public were in a position to accept it. Frankly, I do not feel we are there but we should always retain the conversation and discuss it because over time, people's attitudes certainly change.
Senator Duffy raised the issue of the Inishkea West gas project. The Department will come back to the Senator directly on where that is at. Speaking more generally, our ambition is to get to net zero by 2050. I will talk in general terms about what Senator Collins and others talked about - the use of fossil fuels in the intervening period. It was always the desire of government, regardless of its hue, that we would recognise fossil fuels and gas in particular as a transition fuel. From that perspective, we also have to maintain economic growth and remain along the trajectory of other countries in being attractive. To the Acting Chair's point as well, in attempting to get there we have got to increase our generation of clean renewables, which we are doing. I will speak to our efforts there.
A number of projects are already going through planning. They were referred to as the phase 1 projects, which the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, may have reflected on, together with the Tonn Nua site that was talked about. By 2031 or 2032, we hope to have those energised, which would deliver 5 GW offshore. We currently have 8 GW of renewable onshore. To bring an additional 5 GW onto the grid within the next six or seven years would be fantastic.
We are currently working on a national DMAP which will see completion by 2027. I take Senator Collins's point, which is close to my own heart in that regional aspect, that we could do it more quickly. However, we have been trying to do it in consultation with communities so that we do not run too far ahead and find ourselves in the courts. In fairness, the experience we have developed from the Tonn Nua site was to take the time, do the engagement and try to get to a situation where you do not get that judicial review situation, which delays everything. We expect that will identify an additional 15 GW of electricity generation by 2040.
The argument being made about data centres is well-meant from the perspective of Senator Cosgrove and others, but we have a responsibility to maintain economic growth and activity. To some extent, there is this notion that somehow data centres are not big employment opportunities, but they are in the construction phase. Maybe from an operational level, the number of employees by comparison to the size and scale of the buildings is relatively small, but what is critical about them is that we are moving into the technology sector and have made great advances. We are recognised globally as a centre of excellence for the tech, pharma and medical devices sectors. If we let other countries steal a march on us on data centres, we will lose the downstream investment that is integrated and integral to the future. It would be much easier for us to take a different approach, but it is the right approach.
There will be challenges in the intervening period and there are on the grid because there are some areas that are constrained. I do not accept, however, that data centres get ahead of housing. I know through my engagement with EirGrid that it is very conscious of proposed housing developments and other large energy usage requirements that are there. I would like to think we have moved ahead with the grid and that we are in a position to bring more data centres on. Ireland is now seen in a negative light internationally. Having had a strong base from the start, we are now fighting a rear-guard action to retain Ireland as a centre of excellence for data centres.
It is not just about the data centres. There is a misconception by some that somehow data centres only house photographs, videos and reels, which is a nuisance to all. However, in truth, it is about the maintenance of data in a cloud environment. Companies that would have always ordinarily had racks of computers in their offices do not have that now. By consolidating them under the one roof of a data centre, it actually reduces the demand on electricity; there are statistics on it that I can get. It is a positive story but it is a big challenge for us to manage it. That is why the Government and others have reflected on it. I think the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, talked about this, but we are putting in €3.5 billion of equity into EirGrid and ESB Networks which will allow them to borrow at relatively low interest rates and spend about €19 billion on grid infrastructure upgrades between now and 2030.
We are bringing forward new policies and announcements on where our 400 kV lines will go around the country. We will be identifying areas for development and growth, as well as where the electricity will come ashore. The new large energy user action plan, LEAP, project will identify areas suitable for large energy users to locate in green tech parks. We will be trying to identify those locations closer to where the energy comes ashore from those 20 GW I talked about. That is the kind of joined-up thinking we are doing now in planning ahead. I accept it is challenging to get through from here to 2030 in managing all the demand that is there.
Senator Byrne talked about the cost of fuel and Senator Collins talked about the port of Limerick. I spoke at an event yesterday with the Limerick Chamber of Commerce about the good work the port is doing. There is a port policy to be announced shortly which will play into that. Senator Byrne is right that Cork is now moving ahead. It has €130 million or €140 million in investment and Ann Doherty, the chief executive down there, is doing a great job in driving that. We expect to see that being able to meet the demand. For sure, Rosslare will follow. It has a project in place and many of the ports around there are looking at potential opportunities, if not in the major development side, then in the operation and maintenance work that will form part of it afterwards.
Senator Duffy talked about the battery storage piece. We have got to ensure the grid is resilient and when certain breaks come that energy can be supplied energy from other areas through that lattice approach it has. However, battery storage is very important, and we want to do more.
On the negativity towards the use of gas in particular, Senator Higgins spoke about energy security in the Shannon Estuary, which is such an important part of the Government's agenda. We have to drive ahead with that. It is a short-term measure. We are not investing in hard-construction infrastructure. It is floating and it can be got rid of when we do not need it. I met earlier with a group comprising the ESB, Bord Gáis and a private developer, which have come together under the banner of Kestrel. It is looking at providing a storage facility in the old Kinsale Head gas field, or in one of the chambers there, that would give us resilience of about 90 days of gas storage. In the short term it would be natural gas but it would have the capacity to move towards hydrogen as hydrogen production comes on, which will be partly through electrolysers and in using the unused wind when we have all of that coming on board. Our transition is using gas, which has the least negative impact in the short term, as we move towards more renewables. However, all the advice we are getting indicates we will still need some green molecules to power our economy to get to net zero by 2050. There will be a chunk that will be needed for storage, for electricity when the sun is not shining and when the wind is not blowing, and also to power some heavy-goods vehicles. We believe at this stage that that is most likely to be hydrogen. That is where we ultimately want to get to. Under the proposal for a project off Kinsale, that storage could then flip to storing hydrogen when we reach that point.
I am sorry I did not get to cover all the points but I am happy to come back at any stage, either through a Topical Issue or any other opportunity we have for statements or whatever else, to address this really important issue. I recognise that all the Senators here have been thoughtful in their presentations and comments. It is good to see that there is a collegiality in raising the really important issues that are a challenge to Government, but really importantly, to citizens as well. I thank them for that.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-29