Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2024
136. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for an update on legal analysis to be provided to the Minister on Ireland’s withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty following Departmental engagement with the Office of the Attorney General in 2023; the scope and status of this OAG analysis and timeframe on when it will be brought to Government [10673/24]
View answerI have publicly stated on many occasions that the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) is not fit for purpose and the modernisation programme of the ECT has been inadequate and has resulted in an unsatisfactory outcome. Therefore, Europe has signalled that the bloc should initiate a full exit from the Treaty. Ireland supports this position.
Throughout this process Ireland has expressed strong views within the EU on the compatibility of the Paris Climate Agreement and the ECT dispute resolution mechanism. We continue to express our views within the EU on these issues; I believe that our views carry more weight in international negotiations by advocating them as part of the European Union.
Ireland is among nine EU Member States who have indicated their decision to withdraw from the ECT, Italy left in 2015.
There is ongoing engagement with the Office of the Attorney General and other Departments on this matter and while I have clearly signalled domestically and at EU level that Ireland is withdrawing from the ECT, departing an international treaty in coordination with our EU partners needs to be done carefully as it is a complex matter. We are committed to departing in the most collaborative way possible, mindful that while many of our EU partners also wish to leave, not all Member States are of the same opinion. It is important that a mechanism to satisfy both positions is found. The EU Commission is actively working on this.
