83. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he or his Department have been lobbied with regard to the promised increase in the quantity of oil and gas which is to be purchased from the United States of America by the European Union; the contribution that this State is expected to make towards such an increase, and-or the potential for related loosening of environmental and climate regulations and human rights safeguards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49306/25]

Sentiment score: 0.30

My question relates to proposals under the recent trade agreement between the EU and the Trump Administration. The ridiculous tariffs got the headlines, but under this agreement the EU has further bent the knee to "king" Trump and agreed to massively increase the level of fossil fuels being purchased from the United States - €750 billion worth. There have also been reports of US officials, including its energy secretary, Chris Wright, engaging in extensive lobbying with EU member states on this matter, seeking the loosening of environmental protections. Has the Minister of State or his Department been lobbied on these issues by US officials or by officials from within the EU or other member states?

Sentiment score: 0.49

The Minister of State will be aware of our concerns on this side of the House with the Government's plans to overturn the previous Government's ban on the importation of fracked gas to facilitate the State-led strategic LNG reserve. I am sure the Minister of State is aware of the implications this will have for Shannon LNG and other commercial operators. It is opening the door, inadvertently or otherwise, to massive commercial importation of fracked gas. The Minister of State can make all the claims he wants about commitment to climate action, but importing this highly polluting fossil fuel at this time in our climate struggle and building new fossil fuel infrastructure really calls that commitment in question. I am glad to hear that the Government has not made any new commitments, but what are we going to do in other areas to make up for the inevitable increase in emissions from recent decisions the Government has made, including now the importation of fracked gas? What will we do in other areas to mitigate that?

Sentiment score: 0.12

I accept and understand the energy security concerns here. However, the point I am making is that overturning this ban on the importation of fracked gas has opened the door not just to a State-led facility but to commercial exploitation and importation of fracked gas, using the same rules that the State is using to allow it. That is the problem. While the State facility may not be the most damaging way of going about things, it seems the commercial importation of fracked gas will now happen and An Coimisiún Pleanála is adjudicating on that at the moment. That is the huge problem here. Whether it is inadvertent or otherwise, the Government's decision here is potentially opening the door to massive importation of gas and increased gas use at a time when we are trying to avoid that. That is our problem here. There is a backsliding here on our climate commitments. We are asking the Government to stand up for our climate, to find other ways and to have red lines. The Minister of State needs to say to his Department, "We know there are energy security concerns, but find another way with no more fossil fuel infrastructure."

Sentiment score: -0.08