“Government is Over-Dependent on Imported Fuels”

- Deputy Coonan Highlights Possible Energy Crisis

Speaking in the Dáil last Wednesday, Deputy Noel Coonan highlighted how Ireland could be facing an energy crisis due to a huge dependency on imported oil and gas. This Government must develop more indigenous energy supplies, said the Fine Gael TD, in order to avoid severe economic consequences in the event of a price hike on fossil fuel imports.

Fine Gael used its Private Members Time last week to discuss a motion on energy security and underline Ireland’s vulnerability to an energy crisis.

“I welcome this discussion tonight,” said Deputy Coonan last Wednesday, “We are debating the introduction of an immediate set of proposals and policies to deal with what could soon become an energy crisis here. The stark reality is that 95% of all our gas resources and almost all oil supplies in Ireland are imported and, secondly, which is most worrying, is that we have 11 days storage of gas supplies. However, as the chief executive of Bord Gáis has said, in reality that is seven days supply.”

“Some 55% of our electricity is generated through that imported gas, which is worrying to say the least,” continued the Fine Gael TD, “If anything were to happen to those supplies, not only would jobs be affected but lives would equally be affected. We must take action and the first thing to do is protect the resources we already have. We must also increase those resources and increase storage. What is also vital is that this Government examines alternative energy sources with a view to developing them.”

“The farming community has provided leadership on alternative energy and every piece of land in Ireland could be utilised to produce energy crops. For example, some weeks ago, Duggan Brothers, Templemore in conjunction with a number of young, modern Tipperary-based farmers operating in the cattle and pig sectors, and Professor Gerry Murphy of University College, Cork, presented a proposal to the Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It was entitled “Anaerobic Digestion in Ireland: the Potential and the Problem”, continued Deputy Coonan.

Anaerobic Digestion is a technology that generates electricity and provides a heat source from our most renewable natural resource ‘Green Grass’ in small farm-based generation plants known as ‘Digesters’.

“The net benefit of this proposal would be to create 15,000 jobs in the construction, service and implementation phases. There would be no decrease in agricultural production. In addition, no capital injection would be required by the Government, while there would be a major reduction in greenhouse gases. That is an example of the entrepreneurship involved and the positive approaches that the Minister and his Government colleagues could tap into in order to alleviate our problems.

“The seas around our shores are reputedly rich in oil and gas reserves, but are we doing enough to get companies to explore and tap into those resources? If we struck oil or gas in our national waters, it would have a profound and positive effect on the economy,” continued Deputy Coonan.

Fine Gael put energy security firmly on the agenda with their Private Members Motion calling for the Government to extend the remit of the National Oil Reserves Agency to develop strategic gas reserves, and increase the requirement on gas fired electricity generators to hold back-up stocks of oil from 5 days to 10 days so as to permit electricity generation to continue for a longer period of time in the event of a shortage or absence of gas supplies.

The motion also pressed the Government to facilitate as much as possible the coming on stream of the Corrib gas field and to produce a White Paper on energy security and publish an annual report on efforts to improve Irish energy security.

Ends Noel Coonan TD