EU energy strategy will have major implications for Ireland
Issued: 10 January 2007
Statement by Eamon Ryan
Ambitionless Govt cannot continue to ignore spiralling energy use
Green Party Energy spokesperson Eamon Ryan TD said: "The new energy strategy set out by the European Commission today will have major implications for Ireland. The target of a 20%-30% cut in energy-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 will be seen as inadequate by environmental groups across the Union, but for Ireland, thanks to our Government's inaction, it will represent a major challenge. We are already some 25% above the 1990 base year levels and it is predicted that energy use will continue to increase by a further 30% in the next decade.
"Reports published this week have shown how that Europe's Mediterranean regions will burn up as climate change occurs. Not surprisingly, the rest of the world is starting to take climate change seriously but our Government is continuing to wilfully ignore or play down the importance of the issue.
"The Commission recommends separating the ownership of national electricity generation and distribution systems, which will create real problems for our Government. They have been unwilling to tackle that issue in the ESB, despite a clear recommendation in a report they themselves commissioned.
"The proposals setting binding targets for renewable energy supplies in electricity, heating and transport are also welcome although they should be seen as minimum targets which we can easily exceed given the massive untapped potential for renewable energy in Ireland.
"The proposed new energy technology plan is also a positive development. The Commission is clearly willing to support large scale demonstration projects such as off-shore grids to serve wind wave and tidal power systems, which our Government has thus far ignored. We could create thousands of new jobs in these low carbon technology areas if only we had a Government that was willing to lead developments in the area.
"The measure of how far Ireland has fallen behind is that our Green colleagues in Europe are disappointed at the modest ambition in the plans whereas our own more positive perspective comes from working with a Government that has lacked any ambition whatsoever in the new Green energy agenda," concluded Deputy Ryan.