Over 1,200 submissions were received on the future of Ireland’s energy policy, according to the Minister for Energy, Alex White.
He said the paper has stirred an enthusiastic debate on energy policy in Ireland across a diverse range of stakeholders. The Green Paper was published by the Minister’s predecessor, Pat Rabbitte in May, and the consultation period closed this week, after a period of 12 weeks.
“Over 1,200 submissions were received by the closing date, demonstrating the strong interest in choosing the best route, and I am very grateful to all of the stakeholders interested in energy for taking the time to respond to the Green Paper. My Department will be considering each of the valuable contributions. Specifically, my officials will, over the coming months, be focussing on identifying and analysing the key issues raised across all the submissions,” said Minister White.
Following on from the written submissions, further engagement with stakeholders will commence in the Autumn to ensure that all of the issues identified in the submissions are fully understood.
Commenting on the forthcoming engagement phase, Minister White said “There is an absolute necessity for the White Paper to be fit for present and future purposes and to set a balanced, robust and enabling framework. I want a dynamic and responsive evidence based framework that will allow all of us to steer the appropriate course as we seek to deal with sustainability, security, and competitiveness challenges and opportunities.”
“Developing the policy will not be easy as we aim to strike the right balance between the interests of all energy stakeholders, especially families and businesses as our social and economic recoveries take root. We will continue to encounter uncertainty at home, within the EU and further afield which will directly impact on our ability to achieve our Energy policy goals. But we can be clear on the goals we wish to set and the course we wish to take. The White Paper will provide the certainty and clarity required for a new Energy for Ireland.”