Tarbert back on the agenda after green light for LNG terminal plan at Cabinet

TARBERT should be back on the table after Government approval to develop a State-led liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal this Tuesday, believes Minister of State Niall Collins.

Mr Collins said the Shannon Estuary location is well suited for the terminal “critical” to Ireland’s energy needs

The Government approved a memo from the Minister for Transport, Environment, Climate and Energy, Darragh O'Brien, on the LNG terminal on Tuesday. 

Mr Collins said: “Recent world events have shown that we are now living in a completely changed international context. 

“We are a small island on the edge of Europe that is reliant on imports to meet our energy requirements, as seen by the effects of the energy crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”

We need to stand on our own two feet as a nation in terms of our energy supply, said the Minister of State at the Department of Justice.

“This terminal will provide a temporary gas reserve that will be critical to our energy security, particularly helping us to guard against any interruption to gas supplied by subsea interconnections.”

Mr Collins also highlighted the benefits of the Shannon Estuary as a location for the terminal. 

“In an encouraging development, last year the High Court reversed a ruling by An Bord Pleánala to refuse permission for the construction of an LNG terminal on the Shannon Estuary.

“The proposed site on the Tarbert-Ballylongford landbank would bring benefits to the local community as well as the wider Mid-West region.

“It is my understanding that this LNG facility project is to be State-led, and that Gas Networks Ireland will be tasked with leading on it, but commercial partners may have a role in the operation and replenishment of the LNG facility.

“I look forward to continuing to support this strategic facility and advocating for any role the Mid-West can play in its development,” said Mr Collins.

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The emergency reserve will be in the form of a Floating Storage and Regassification Unit (FSRU), to be owned on behalf of the State by the system operator, Gas Networks Ireland (GNI). This is a similar approach to that used for oil security by the National Oil Reserves Agency.

In identifying this as the optimal approach, the Department of Environment has built upon the extensive review of security of Ireland’s gas and electricity systems which was approved by Government in the ‘Energy Security in Ireland to 2030’ plan in November 2023. 

“The plan sets out Ireland’s ambition to transform our energy system and support our climate objectives. The plan includes 28 actions, under the pillars of sustainability, affordability and security. Under Action 17 of that plan, GNI was tasked with reviewing and recommending the optimal approach to deliver the strategic gas emergency reserve.

“The development of a state-led reserve in the form of an FSRU is consistent with Ireland’s climate law. It is a transitional measure – reducing the risk of stranded fossil fuel assets, for emergency use only, and does not support increased gas demand,” said a Department of Environment spokesperson.

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Minister Darragh O’Brien said the approval of this approach represents the culmination of extensive research, analysis and engagement in relation to Ireland’s energy security needs. 

“As a small island nation reliant on interconnection, our exposure to potential disruption to gas supplies presents a significant risk to our energy security, and the continuity of supply to businesses and households across Ireland. This emergency reserve will provide an alternative source of gas at an appropriate scale if Ireland was to experience such an interruption.

“Our view remains that long-term energy security is best achieved through substantial growth in indigenous clean, renewable energy; improvements in energy efficiency; electrification of heat and transport; and increased electrical interconnection with our European neighbours. 

“This will minimise the imports of fossil energy in the long-term. In the meantime, the development of a state-led, strategic reserve will ensure the continuity of gas supply as an essential transitional energy security measure,” said Mr O’Brien.