The Government is set to develop a State-run liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal as part of a contingency plan for energy security.
Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien will seek Cabinet approval for the project at this morning’s Government meeting. The Fianna Fáil Minister is expected to argue that a temporary gas reserve is essential to ensure energy security during the transition to renewable energy.
The planned facility will be floating and located at a coastal site, acting as an emergency gas reserve in the event of a disruption to Ireland’s existing gas supply. The proposal outlines that the reserve will only be used if submarine interconnectors fail.
O’BRIEN: LNG MEASURE IS ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES
Last week, O’Brien was asked in a Parliamentary Question if he would support and expedite the long-awaited LNG project at the Tarbert/Ballylongford landbank in north Kerry, which was described as having the potential to create thousands of jobs over the next 20 years.
In response, O’Brien stated that the Government remains committed to reducing fossil fuel reliance and achieving an 80% renewable electricity target by 2030, as outlined in the Programme for Government. He referenced the 2023 Energy Security in Ireland report, which concluded that Ireland lacks adequate resilience in the event of a major disruption to subsea gas import pipelines.
O’Brien said that a state-led Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve in the form of a Floating Storage and Regassification Unit (FSRU) was recommended solely for emergencies and would operate on a non-commercial basis.
WHAT IS LNG AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
LNG has been a source of significant political debate in Ireland, with environmental groups strongly opposing its development. However, concerns over energy security have continued to grow in recent years.
LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to around -162°C, turning it into a liquid for easier storage and transport. This process reduces its volume by about 600 times, making it practical for shipping to regions without direct pipeline access. Once delivered, LNG is regassified and used for electricity generation, heating, and industrial applications.
This is significant because it enhances countries’ energy security by diversifying supply sources, reducing reliance on pipelines and single-country providers. Many countries, especially in Europe, have expanded their LNG imports in an effort to cut dependence on Russian gas since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which saw disruptions to European gas supply through incidents like the destruction of the Nordstream pipeline.
While LNG is cleaner than coal and oil, critics argue it prolongs reliance on fossil fuels, delaying a transition to green renewable power.
PREVIOUS CALLS FOR INVESTMENT IN LNG
Despite opposition from environmental groups, in 2022, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) urged the Government to invest in LNG infrastructure, citing “insufficient safeguards” for energy security.
“LNG should be considered in the context of energy security,” CRU chairwoman Aoife MacEvilly said at the time.
“There are insufficient safeguards at present.”
MacEvilly highlighted the country’s reliance on gas and coal through UK interconnectors. While Ireland had over 5,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity that week, she pointed out that due to calm weather conditions, “This morning we were getting as little as 19 megawatts from that capacity.”
She added: “We will not decarbonise without this infrastructure.”
IN THE LAST GOVERNMENT VARADKAR’S SUPPORT FOR LNG CLASHED WITH GREEN PARTY POLICY
Previously as Fine Gael leader, Leo Varadkar voiced support for the development of LNG terminals, telling a private Fine Gael meeting in Cork in 2022 that he backed the plan to prevent energy shortages.
“If you think ahead 25 to 30 years, we’ll hopefully not be using natural gas at all,” he reportedly said.
“We’ll be using renewable energy, including hydrogen. Renewable electricity is great, but it can only go so far, even when the batteries are great.”
Varadkar said at the time that LNG storage would provide security of supply, stating: “If something went wrong with the UK interconnector, there’s no other way to get the gas into the country.”
His comments at the time put him at odds with his then-coalition partner and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who remained steadfast in his opposition to LNG.
While in Government, Ryan repeatedly stated that such terminals should not be built “under any circumstances,” and his party successfully included a commitment in the 2020 Programme for Government stating that “it does not make sense to develop LNG projects.”
Notably, no such commitment exists in the new 2025 Programme for Government, with the Green Party no longer part of the coalition.
O’BRIEN’S PREDECESSOR MET WITH CLIMATE EXTREMISTS TO DISCUSS COMBATING LNG
Ryan also came under scrutiny earlier this year when Gript revealed that he had met with representatives from the climate extremist group Extinction Rebellion in January 2024 to discuss “holding the line against LNG.”
Documents obtained by Gript through a Freedom of Information request showed that Ryan’s department prepared briefing notes for the meeting, which included discussing his “legacy” and opposition to LNG and fracked gas.