I know of the Deputy's interest in this area as he and I have discussed this on a number of occasions. Currently, the Department has no plans for the development of nuclear power, including small modular reactors, as part of Ireland's electricity system. As the Deputy is aware, there are two specific legislative prohibitions on nuclear power in place in Ireland. Both the electricity legislation, in section 18(6) of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, and the planning legislation, in section 182 of the Planning and Development Act 2024, prohibit the development of nuclear fission for electricity generation. Those provisions would need to be replaced as a first step if we were to plan for the introduction of domestic nuclear fission energy generation. The reality is that, as things stand today, it is not clear to us that public opinion is in favour of removing those legislative bans on the development of domestic nuclear power plants for electricity in Ireland. Building that majority would require an extensive conversation with the people of Ireland. There have been a lot of conversations about who represents the people of Ireland in recent days. Nonetheless, I think there is probably a consensus across the House that the notion of moving ahead with the introduction of the generation of electricity with a nuclear base to it, regardless of the system, would not gain a social licence in the current climate. I am conscious, in my daily life as a representative of the people of Clare, of the pushback that is currently in existence regarding wind energy and the permissions for wind turbines. They are hotly contested, objected to in every possible way and then taken to judicial review. I do not think there would be too many at a public meeting in support of a nuclear reactor, regardless of the setback distance. I think we have a way to go in that regard.
Sentiment score: 0.03
Nobody wants to rule out the discussion but from a Government perspective, for us right now, it is about action and about meeting our targets on the demand for energy. Our efforts are concentrated on capturing wind to bring the electrons ashore. Of course, we take electricity from France that has its source in nuclear energy. Nobody has a problem with that. The French have a lot of expertise in that area. I think we are better concentrating on an area where we have an abundance of electricity off our shoreline. We are developing expertise in that area, and we can bring that on relatively quickly. I am conscious that many nuclear plants have been in production for decades at this stage, and they are still not generating electricity. Our targets are towards 2030 and 2040. We are heading in the right direction with the strategy that we have. As for a conversation about it, we are all open to that but at the moment, the Government is moving beyond just talking about stuff. We want to get things done, and we are getting it done in that regard.
Sentiment score: 0.05
Absolutely. While the debate and discussion are somewhat academic at the moment, it is appropriate that we are looking that far ahead because we do not want to find ourselves in the situation that we currently do - reaching a point where there are constraints on our grid. The lesson we have learned from that is that we now have to get the generation piece right. I really believe in what we are doing on the renewables side, in solar, wind and offshore wind. There are opportunities for floating offshore wind as we move forward, which will bring an even greater quantum of electricity onshore. We are also looking at the smart use of the grid. With interconnection, I think we are in a good space with the plans, which will get us to 2040 and, I believe, 2050 and beyond in terms of the quantum of electricity that can be bought ashore. There is the potential for us to be net exporters, particularly in relation to green hydrogen and ammonia, which can form part of the storage component of that offshore wind electricity.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I thank the Deputy. His sense of humour, as always, is timely and appreciated.
Sentiment score: 0.56
We can all be renewed. The two questions were separate but we have the opportunity to follow one with the other. It is very clear that other countries have a considerable advancement in relation to the use of nuclear energy as a method of driving their economic activity and producing electricity. They have been doing it for decades and have made certain advances in that area. We have not been in that race due to decisions that went back to the early 1970s on Carnsore and other matters. It has been very clear that no social licence really exists among the general public for that. What we have been doing in recent years is concentrating on capturing clean energy. That is the one thing about wind and solar; they are absolutely clean. Nobody really talks about the storage of the by-product or the waste product from nuclear energy, which is, in most cases, dumped at sea, albeit, we believe, in a very safe environment. We would be better to concentrate on what we have and the fact that would not have to import all that much by way of equipment. We have the knowledge and experience, which we are developing, and there is a great opportunity for employment, particularly in coastal communities away from the centres, which would have had a greater level of employment in the past. Pardon the pun - I do not like the phrase - but there is a double win or a win-win here as opposed to a "wind-wind". There is a win-win with the wind, and we need to continue to advance that. We are planning ahead with the designation of sites around our shoreline and offshore from now to 2040. We are also looking to 2050. We will have completed the programme of designation by the end of 2027. That will provide significant clarity to those investing from outside.
Sentiment score: 0.30
I agree. From a departmental perspective, we are not losing focus. We are absolutely targeting this. We are looking at interconnection as well. As the Deputy knows - the North-South interconnector is kind of in his area as well - we will have the Celtic interconnector. We want to build a more complex grid right across the European Union, which will help to balance the load, the demand and the generation, and we can do that. However, there is nothing wrong with accepting an academic debate. I do not say that in a throwaway manner. Of course, it always good to have checks and balances and if there is an academic debate going on, we will facilitate that and participate in it but our action-oriented plan is about capturing the wind, both onshore and offshore. It is about putting in place a structured grid that will allow electricity to be used without constraint across the State. We want to connect North to South, which is an important one, and then there is the Celtic interconnector. We also need to look then to other storage opportunities, which we have at the moment in relation to battery, but we need to do more than just an academic conversation around hydrogen because there is demand for that and for ammonia right across Europe at the moment.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I am in broad agreement with the Deputy, but I am a big supporter of data centres. They are like the advanced factories that were there in the seventies.
Sentiment score: 0.56
In fact, I read a report recently which suggested that the use of data centres will reduce the use of electricity-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
-----rather than having racks in isolated locations all over the place. You commingle and co-share a resource and, ultimately, you reduce the amount of electricity used. We have to be in control of our own data because there are other energy-rich countries that would be delighted to have the opportunity to store European data. If we do not get our act together, somebody will steal our clothes and that will be a loss. There are a lot of tech companies that want to be close to where the data centres are in the context of the resilience of the communications systems, etc. We have a job to do and, of course, we have to build houses, etc. I am all for advancing what we have to do in regard to offshore and wind. We must of course recognise that gas will be an important transition fuel as we move towards renewables, but we have got to do it at a pace and maintain the economic growth and control of our data at the same time.
Sentiment score: 0.05
I know Deputy Byrne is taking this for Deputy Ardagh. As he may be aware, the Department and the Minister do not have a role in respect of the delivery of the offshore electricity grid. That is handled by EirGrid as the transmission system operator. I will endeavour, on Deputies Byrne and Ardagh's behalf, to ask EirGrid to communicate with both of them in relation to the projects and where they are at. I am very conscious that our interconnection projects and those that are envisaged will be an integral part of the stabilisation of our own electricity grid and will assist us in continuing our pathway towards removing the need for fossil fuels as part of our generation mix. We are very strongly in favour of that, as Deputy Byrne knows. The Celtic interconnector with France is under way and significant works are already in place there. I think it was the Taoiseach, or perhaps it was the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, who recently signed a memorandum of understanding, MOU, with Spain. The Taoiseach certainly had been involved at a stage in the discussions on that. I think at one of the events last year, I had conversations with Spanish representatives. We really believe in the necessity to connect ourselves in an important way with the rest of the European Union. Of course, the North-South interconnector is such a fundamental part of that all-island electricity market so, of course, that is important. I will have EirGrid communicate with the Deputies on that, on those projects.
Sentiment score: 0.16
In reality, none of us is happy that there are potential delays. From a departmental perspective and from the Minister's perspective, we are very clear on the importance of getting it done. What I am saying to the Deputy is that EirGrid is independent of the Government. It is established in that way as a TSO and it is responsible through the CRU, which has the potential to be brought before the committee. We are very anxious to do that. Just a slight correction: the Minister reminds me that, in fact, the MOU with Spain has yet to be signed and will be done next week. I will ensure that EirGrid communicate with the Deputies. I will ask that it update me as well in that regard.
Sentiment score: 0.24
I hope the Deputy does not think I am being evasive but I am just providing him with the information I have. I am aware that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, meets with EirGrid monthly. He seeks to get an update on projects and he is very anxious that in all those instances he communicates to EirGrid the Government's priorities in this regard, and the Government's priorities have not changed. We are accelerating the development of infrastructure. There are State agencies that are established with their own independence, their own governance and their own boards of directors, so there is a limit in those circumstances as to what the Government can do other than to set out what policy is. We must be mindful, too, that we must follow the democratic principles that are established. EirGrid is answerable to its board, to the CRU and, ultimately, to the Oireachtas through the committee. We represent the citizens of the State. We recognise the importance of this and we will continue to pursue that. In fact, I am meeting with Errol Close and a number of other people from EirGrid today, albeit in relation to separate projects, but I will communicate again the discussion here, and rest assured, I will continue to drive that. It is a recognition, too, that the Taoiseach has even established a clearing house in relation to offshore wind, of which the grid becomes part as well as an action-oriented plan to get delivery on these projects.
Sentiment score: 0.10
Plug-in solar systems are very small PV energy systems, usually two or three modules, and less than 1 kW in total per installation. They are connected to a micro-inverter and plugged directly into the normal household socket. This then feeds the house's internal electricity system. These low-cost panels can be put on balconies and outdoor spaces. The use of plug-in mini-solar technology has grown in some EU countries in recent years as consumers search for ways to save on high energy bills. It has seen particular growth in Germany. Officials from our Department have engaged with stakeholders on the optional provisions in the 2024 electricity market design directive, including the provision relating to plug-in mini solar systems and through a consultation that ran from September to October in 2024. Respondents to that consultation raised potential safety issues, so it is important that the introduction of the technology is given appropriate consideration. Some form of regulation may be needed before plug-in mini solar is promoted. Officials are currently engaged with the relevant agencies and regulators, including ESB Networks in its role as the system operator. Our officials are also in contact with officials from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero in the UK relating to the recently announced intention for the UK Government to regulate for the sale and use of plug-in mini solar systems. EU guidance on the matter is also being considered.
Sentiment score: 0.31
I thank the Deputy very much. He is right. Both he and Deputy Heneghan have continued to raise this matter. The Department is actively engaged on it. It is not good enough to just continue to say there are potential safety issues. We have got to address them, recognising that others have found methods to address those safety concerns. As I have said, we are engaged with our UK counterparts and we are also discussing the regulatory issues in relation to safety with our German counterparts, recognising that they have had a very successful roll-out. There are some grid issues. I do not offer that by way of excuse but, with regard to distribution, our grid is managed and constructed somewhat differently. Notwithstanding that, it should not be beyond our capabilities to find a pathway forward that is safe and that gives capacity to those who have the opportunity or potential to use these small-scale pieces of equipment.
Sentiment score: 0.31