The newly approved liquified natural gas terminal is “very important” to Ireland’s “energy security”, the Energy Minister has said.

Earlier today, the Cabinet signed off on a controversial plan to build a gas reserve off the coast of Ireland.

The floating facility will store liquified natural gas (LNG) and will be used as the country’s emergency reserve.

LNG has long been opposed by some - but the Government insists the terminal is necessary to act as a “gas reserve” as the country transitions to clean energy.

This aerial view shows the Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) terminal on the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam, on May 6, 2022. - - Netherlands OUT (Photo by Koen van Weel / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT (Photo by KOEN VAN WEEL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

On The Hard Shoulder, Minister for Transport and Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, Darragh O’Brien said the LNG terminal is really about Ireland’s “energy security” and “securing our energy resilience”.

“This has been work that have been ongoing under the previous Minister about looking at a natural gas reserve - we don't actually have a gas reserve here in the event of there being an unexpected disruption to our gas supplies,” he said.

“We have an oil reserve - it has been identified as a very significant risk to our energy security and stability.

“So I brought forward a memo to Cabinet today, where I'm pleased to say I got approval that we would move forward on the development of a State led strategic gas emergency reserve that would be owned and operated by Gas Networks Ireland.

“[This] would be used only in the event of a disruption to supply.”

Pictured covered in oil is Lady Justice (Gemma Roche) a world-renowned symbol of justice, fairness and equality – holding a weighing-scales symbolising the global injustice around the impacts of climate change and the resources to tackle it. Photo: Mark Stedman. 10/11/2024

Minister O’Brien said he could not “stand over” Ireland not having a backup energy supply.

“As we're moving further and accelerating our use of renewables, which is good and we're going to accelerate that further, we still use gas in our electricity system and we have Corrib obviously, but the main supply that we get is from Scotland,” he said.

“Should there be any disruption to that supply, we've no backup, basically, and that's not something I can stand over as minister with responsibility for energy.

“That's why this decision today, I think, is a very important one, that we would deal with that risk that's there and move forward with a floating terminal and that we would use only on the basis of if our gas supply was disrupted.”

"Not really a complex matter"

Minister O’Brien said he respects all views on this, saying “people will have different views” but added that “this is not really a complex matter, this is about energy security”.

“Now we're continuing our transition to cleaner energy and I was just even looking back five or six years - if you look at our natural gas used in relation to our electricity system, [it] is down from 52% to 41%,” he said.

“I'm looking at the increase in renewables, that average last year 33% of our electricity was generated on renewables and on a good day, 42%.

“We need to step that up, and we will, particularly with offshore renewables.

“But in the interim, we're going to see gas still being used, or probably as a backup supply, you know, and will only reach its peak by about 2035 and start decreasing then.”

People with banners protest as part of a climate change march. Image: Alamy

Minister O’Brien said the “big issue” is what would Ireland do is something was to happen to our supply – particularly from Scotland?

“The fact that we don't have a reserve, I believe, is a significant risk to our country, to our hospitals, to our communities, our people, and that needs to be addressed,” he said.

“It's not a question of this being demand led - this is not bringing any more liquid gas into our system - this is a reserve capacity that's there in the event of something happening.

“We have seen already in Europe that we live in a different world now, whereby there have been events that have happened in Europe, with regard to undersea cables, with regard to gas pipelines as well.

“I think it's only right and proper that we listen to the independent experts as well, who advised me and advised the previous Minister that this is a matter that needs to be addressed and needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”

Darragh O'Brien, © PA Archive/PA Images

Minister O’Brien said a location for the LNG terminal has not been decided or proposed yet but it will be coastal.

He also said the terminal will be owned by the State as a capital investment on behalf of the Irish people of approximately €300 million.

Darragh O'Brien, © PA Wire/PA Images