A policy statement is being put together by government to put a ban on developing LNG terminals on a legislative footing, the environment minister has confirmed.
LNG terminals work by importing natural gas in a liquefied state at an extremely low temperature — making it easier to transport — and then turning it back into gas for use in a new market.
Controversy arose in 2019 when it emerged a proposed LNG terminal in Kerry would take fracked gas originating in the US. Fracking is illegal in Ireland, but there is nothing to stop fracked gas being imported.
The Greens secured a commitment in the programme for government that the coalition would not support the venture. The programme for government states: “We shall withdraw the Shannon LNG terminal from the EU Projects of Common Interest list in 2021.”
Eamon Ryan, the environment minister, said his officials were working on a policy statement that would acknowledge that “it does not make sense to develop LNG terminals that import fracked gas”.
He said: “My department is in the process of developing the policy statement, which includes consideration of any necessary legal and regulatory provisions.”
“This includes detailed examination of the European energy and environmental frameworks, in which our national laws operate, to ensure the policy statement will be legally robust. Once finalised, I intend to bring the policy statement to government for approval.”
The minister also said that he was “finalising amendments” to the draft Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill and would bring it to government “as soon as possible” for approval to publish it and initiate the legislative process in the Oireachtas.
The government will also include provisions in the bill to ban exploration licences for gas and oil.
As part of the programme for government, the Green Party secured a commitment to “end the issue of new licences for the exploration and extraction of gas”, on the same basis as the recent decision in relation to oil exploration and extraction.
Last year Ryan said that he would no longer be granting licences for the extraction of oil and gas.
He confirmed last week that provisions would be included in the forthcoming Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill to put this decision on a legal footing.
He said: “Additionally, in line with the programme for government, my department is no longer accepting new applications for exploration licences for natural gas or oil. I plan to include provisions putting this commitment on a statutory basis as part of the forthcoming Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill.”
