Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2022
141. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will ensure that all processes in relation to existing exploration licences are managed expeditiously in the context of RePowerEU; his plans for ensuring that Ireland meets the ambitions outlined in RePowerEU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33764/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll applications for petroleum authorisations submitted to my Department are considered under a robust assessment process. Applications are assessed against a number of criteria from a technical and financial perspective in accordance with Section 9A (1) of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960 and Section 3 of the 2007 Licensing Terms for Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, Development and Production. It is important to note that this assessment process is informed only by financial, technical and environmental considerations and not by energy security or broader energy policy matters. In March 2022, the European Council directed the European Commission to develop a plan that will phase out EU dependence on Russian fossil fuel imports. RePowerEU plan was subsequently published by the Commission on 18 May 2022 in response to this. Careful consideration by Member States of the measures proposed by the Commission is now required, and in particular regarding the proposal to reopen several legislative files within the Fit for 55 Package.
As stated in the plan, “REPowerEU is about rapidly reducing our dependence on Russian fossil fuels by fast forwarding the clean transition and joining forces to achieve a more resilient energy system and a true Energy Union.” This is broadly in line with Ireland’s ambitions in renewable energy with a target of 5GW of offshore wind to be installed by 2030. The plan also calls for more investment in cross border energy infrastructure including electricity interconnection as this will help realise a more resilient energy union. Ireland currently has two interconnector projects in development, and we are in the process of strengthening the policy framework for interconnection with the National Policy Statement on electricity interconnection scheduled to be updated by the end of 2022.
