14 Márta 2012, 17:29
The Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture will tomorrow morning receive a detailed briefing from representatives of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER).
CER is the regulator for the electricity and natural gas sectors in Ireland. Tomorrow’s meeting will include discussion their current work priorities, including their increased responsibilities in regulating petroleum safety onshore and offshore.
The CER representatives will introduce the Draft Decision Paper on the High Level Design of the Petroleum Safety Framework, published last month and accessible via the Commission website here: http://bit.ly/wZ8GzW.
Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee Andrew Doyle TD said: “Our Committee has an important role in oversight of statutory bodies and tomorrow’s meeting is an opportunity to question representatives from the Commission on their current work priorities.
“Committee Members will be particularly keen to explore the CER’s responsibility for regulating the safety of onshore shale gas extraction. While the CER’s role concerns safety with no statutory authority to permit or ban hydraulic fracturing, the discussion will hopefully afford the Committee an insight into this highly contentious issue – we note that responses to their public consultation on the Petroleum Safety Framework were dominated by concerns on fracking.
\"Another matter of public concern is the proposed high-voltage power line from Meath to Tyrone. Last month in multiple meetings, the Committee provided a unique public forum for all sides of the debate on the new interconnector to thrash out long running issues in a frank, comprehensive and open manner. We will seek the perspective of the Commission on how best to deliver this key piece of national infrastructure, as we finalise a response for consideration by Minister for Energy Pat Rabbitte TD.
We will also discuss the CER's role in their role in regulating the Single Electricity Market with their counterpart in Belfast. The Committee will question the representatives on how the benefits of having the wholesale electricity market on the island of Ireland can increase the use of renewable energies such as wind power in electricity generation.”
The meeting takes place at 11 a.m tomorrow morning 15 March in Committee Room 4, LH 2000.
Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/xMg2nJ
Ends
For further information contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 6949926
F: +3531 618 4551
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership
Deputies
Tom Barry, Fine Gael
Michael Colreavy, Sinn Fein
Pat Deering, Fine Gael
Andrew Doyle, Fine Gael
Martin Ferris, Sinn Fein
Noel Harrington, Fine Gael
Martin Heydon, Fine Gael
Colm Keaveney, Labour Party
Mattie McGrath, Independent
Michael McNamara, Labour Party
Michael Moynihan, Fianna Fail
Éamon Ó Cuív, Fianna Fail
John O’Mahony, Fine Gael
Ann Phelan, Labour Party
Thomas Pringle, Independent
Senators
Michael Comiskey
Paschal Mooney
Pat O’Neill
Mary Ann O’Brien
Brian Ó Domhnaill
John Whelan