Ireland needs a dedicated Energy Minister now to deal with the current crisis.
That's according to Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly, who was speaking as Cabinet approved energy efficiency measures across the public sector.
State bodies will be lowering their consumption and costs.
Measures include reducing the temperature and duration of heating, turning lights off, and not using appliances at peak times.
But Mr Kelly told The Hard Shoulder a new approach is needed.
"The portfolio is too broad, taking in three areas - at this point in time, energy is the big problem.
"And we need a dedicated Minister for Energy who will concentrate on that and get it done.
"And if you get this right, get the energy security right, then we wouldn't have to be worrying about investors not coming to Ireland because they can't be guaranteed electricity supply.
"We wouldn't be worrying about keeping the lights on, etc - I think that is a key aspect of dealing with it.
"Anything else is only barely putting your finger in the whole and hoping that next year it'll be better".
'The nub of the problem'
He believes what we're doing isn't working.
"Our whole approach isn't robust enough for the situation we find ourselves in.
"All those measures.... are very necessary an important, and I hope they happen. But [they are] not dealing with the nub of the problem.
"We're waiting for ages for an Energy of Security Strategy, we haven't got it.
"We have problems with trying to get renewable projects off the ground that are being held up because of permitting, planning.
"And nothing has happened to alleviate the situation.
"I spoke to a man in Wicklow last week, he had a solar energy project.
"It took him eight years to get planning and one year to build.
"So we're not dealing with the nub of the problem and we're not dealing with security of supply", he said.
