Irish Government urged to legislate for commercial LNG ban before term ends

Concerned citizens fear the country could be bound to decades of fracked gas imports if urgent action not taken

Fears are mounting that Ireland could be bound to decades of fracked gas imports if commercial LNG is not explicitly ruled by the government before its mandate ends.

Multiple issues have recently collided, sparking concerns there could be just weeks to stop the development of new fossil fuel infrastructure adding liquified natural gas to the national energy portfolio.

They include the outcome of a High Court case in which An Board Pleanala’s refusal of an LNG terminal on the banks of the Shannon was overturned.

READ MORE - Grandad, youth and child to take first climate case against Irish government

The judge said ‘government policy does not constitute a moratorium’ on LNG facilities. Senator Higgins, told the Mirror: “I never believed it was sufficient to say we have a kind of policy.

“LNG is one of the most damaging fossil fuels - particularly in the short-term. It’s disastrous. They should have put in a clear action plan to a moratorium, underpinned by legislation.

“The court finding that effectively this policy position isn’t robust isn’t surprising to me and I would have supported those who said we should bring legislation to ban it.”

Leitrim councillor, Eddie Mitchell, added: “We backed Eamon Ryan going into Government because he promised he would keep fracked gas imports out of Ireland and he has betrayed us.

“He needs to change the policy he put into the energy security package before he leaves office or, he’ll forever be known as the minister that brought fracked gas into Ireland.”

Concerns have also been raised about wording in the Planning Bill, which will go through final its final stage in the next few weeks.

PLANNING BILL FEARS

Senator Higgins believes it could allow commercial LNG to be fast tracked as ‘strategic development’. She told us that “is more worrying”.

“It doesn’t just fail to ban LNG or have a neutral position on LNG - [it] very explicitly and very clearly fast tracks LNG. It gives LNG ‘priority’ as one of the forms of ‘strategic’ infrastructure for Ireland. The energy security review said we don’t need this.”

The independent senator and Hollywood superstar, Mark Ruffalo, are determined to stop the State from buying into fracking that’s alleged to be devastating communities in other parts of the world.

Mark Ruffalo took to X to say: “This is the time to get off of fossil fuels, not put them on steroids! Is ‘blueprint for LNG’ going to be @greenparty_ie gov’t legacy?”

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Eamon Ryan is yet to decide if a State LNG facility should be built for emergencies or not - and asked Gas Networks Ireland to do more research.

Fracking was banned in Ireland in 2016 because of concerns around the environmental damage it can cause. The Irish government also planned to ban fracked gas imports and stop the development of any LNG terminals that could see it imported from elsewhere.

But after four years in government, the coalition is no closer to delivering. In an exclusive interview with the Mirror about these concerns, Eamon Ryan said: “I don’t think anyone is planning to bring fracked gas in - I don’t think that will happen.

“The only question is, can we reduce our use of gas so quickly that we can provide our [energy] security through electrification or do we need a temporary facility of no fracked gas for a certain time.

“It’s a judgement call on the number of years and the merits of each of those technological solutions - is what the issue is now.

“For me the primary question is, how do we provide our [energy] security without expanding gas use.”

We asked if this included any LNG facilities. He added: “That means we can’t have the one which is a commercial facility that just sees a major increase in the use of gas in the country. That’s what a commercial facility would require.”

Minister Ryan said the decision that now needs to be made lies between faster electricity interconnection and energy storage “which will give us a better return than the FRSU [floating LNG] option”.

We asked him if he will change government policy before leaving his role following the Shannon LNG case.

He said: “I don’t believe the judgement changes what we’ve been saying about the need for a security, rather than a commercial facility.

“The main revision in my mind in the whole policy approach, is greater understanding as to how such a [gas] storage facility would work and how does that relate to developments in the electricity markets.

“Half of our gas is used to create electricity and if we can’t get a [gas] storage facility until early in the next decade... the question is whether we can build better interconnection.

“The judge expressed a certain frustration around timelines and even about the quality of the writing but I don't think that was in relation to the fundamental policy issue. I think he recognised there really is a separation of powers.

“My job is really to protect the Irish people and serve them best and I think we are doing that by looking at all the security issues.

“That development of technology and storage may be the better way of securing our future.

“The key thing for me to do is to outline how that might work. If it isn’t as secure then we would only need a temporary facility - not commercial.

“I think all the parties in the Oireachtas and whoever forms the next government - there’s broad agreement around that.”

Minister Ryan said the provision for LNG in the Planning Bill “is not unusual” even though we highlighted it doesn’t rule out commercial LNG.

He added: “It is not as material as the planning ruling earlier in the week.”

A Bill calling for LNG developments to be banned in Ireland is now going up for debate next week after Neasa Hourigan said it “got picked up from the Business Committee Lottery”.

Friends of the Earth is urging people to sign a petition urging the Government to add an LNG moratorium into the Planning Bill and conduct a full independent risk assessment.

Its chief executive, Oisín Coghlan, said: "Between Shannon LNG's High Court victory and the Government's last minute amendments to the Planning Bill to designate LNG as strategic infrastructure, right now it looks like fossil fuel promoters, corporate and official, are running rings around the Green Party.

"Surely Eamon Ryan and Roderic O’Gorman won’t let Shannon LNG become the Shell to Sea of the 2020s? The Greens must now ensure the Government immediately re-establishes the agreed moratorium on LNG in a legally robust way."

Jerry Mac Evilly, head of policy at Friends of the Earth, added: "Several TDs have put forward amendments to the Planning Bill rejecting LNG. The Government could itself use the Planning Bill to make certain a moratorium on LNG is established in law. The Planning Bill, as well as Deputy Hourigan’s bill, are now an opportunity to the right the wrongs of the High Court decision.

"The Government agreed to a moratorium on LNG, but clearly didn’t use a policy instrument that was legally strong enough to enforce it. The Green Party needs to ensure that the moratorium on LNG is immediately re-established. That could be done in legislation if time allows before the election, or through a directive directly from the Minister."

Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.