Development (Strategic Gas Reserve) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-16
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Timmy Dooley (FF), Clare

Absolutely. There was quite a campaign against that. We all saw the damage hydraulic fracturing could do to certain environments and the impact it could have on groundwater. That stands, but it is a whole different ball game for us in terms of the procurement of supplies to fill a strategic reserve. That is effectively traded on international markets. We go to the markets, as the State will, through GNI to procure the gas. It is a commodity. I do not think we can start to decide who we take it from and who we do not.
I need to get clarity for the Senator about the latest technologies for boil-off of gas and whether it has to be filled every couple of months. My understanding is that is changing significantly at a global level and it will be possible to have a reserve without the necessity to utilise it or boil it through on a frequent basis. I will get the Senator more information on that.
The Senator raised the 2021 policy statement on the importation of fracked gas. That statement was to remain in place pending completion of the review of Ireland's energy security. When we put that in place, it was clear that we did not want fracked gas in our network as a competitive element. However, it was recognised that if we had to build a strategic reserve, liquefied natural gas would be the source of that and there was potential for fracked gas to be part of that. We made it clear that the policy statement would only remain in place until the security review had been done. The review has been completed, so that position changes. The security element is now decided by the Government and by Government policy to have a facility for storing LNG. Procurement of that will be done on the open market, will be based on commodity prices and will not dictate one way or another what the source of that is. That is the appropriate way to deal with the situation.
At all times, it is about minimisation of LNG usage in our grid mix. It is only in case of an emergency. I have told the Senator what I believe the Government's position is on that emergency and what is involved there. We will not be accepting the amendment.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:17+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-16