Development (Strategic Gas Reserve) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-16
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Joanne Collins (SF), Agricultural Panel

I am going to speak to amendments Nos. 2, 4 and 8.
Amendment No. 2 makes it absolutely clear that the strategic emergency gas reserve is exactly that: an emergency reserve. It cannot become another source of gas for day-to-day commercial supply or market management. As my colleagues have said, we need to know what "emergency" actually means when it comes to this reserve. If we are establishing this facility on energy security grounds, it must only ever be used in a genuine emergency, as defined under EU rules.
Amendment No. 4 places a clear sunset clause on the reserve. It ensures that the facility would remain a temporary response to a specific energy security challenge and not become a permanent piece of fossil fuel infrastructure that would undermine our climate commitments.
On amendment No. 8, I will keep my remarks short and sweet. The amendment strengthens accountability by requiring the Minister to report annually that the reserve is being maintained solely for emergency purposes and remains a temporary measure.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:17+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-16