Open Letter to Darragh O' Brien showing support for banning LNG terminals in Ireland

LNG has a devastating impact on the climate because of the methane emissions released by fracking, cooling, shipping and regasifying it. It produces Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions 33% higher than coal and, using Robert Howarth’s research, Stop Shannon LNG has estimated that importing and using LNG in Ireland could produce double the greenhouse gas emissions of the pipeline gas we currently import.  

In a very cynical move, the legislation allowing for construction of the terminal - the Strategic Gas Reserve (SGR) Act - disapplies section 15 of the Climate Act. This means that relevant state bodies no longer need to have regard for ‘mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.  Furthermore, the SGR Act doesn’t prevent the proposed project from increasing gas demand and consumption. Neither does it block the operation of the terminal by commercial operators or  prevent the development of other LNG import terminals, such as the Shannon LNG project in Co. Kerry, which is currently awaiting a planning decision.  Any LNG terminals built would lock us  into a fossil fuel future. All this when you have already conceded, in a complete dereliction of duty, that Ireland will fail to meet its legally-binding carbon emissions reduction targets resulting in billions of taxpayer money in fines.

The proposed LNG import terminal is being framed as a necessary energy security measure, only to be used in ‘emergencies’. However, as explained in a recent article in the Clare Champion, this is a myth. LNG is completely unsuited to storage due to boil off and the proposed terminal would need to be emptied into the gas grid and refilled at least 6 times a year..

Supply of LNG is vulnerable to weather-related disruption and geopolitical instability. In March, a powerful tropical cyclone in Western Australia disrupted production at the country’s two biggest LNG plants run by Chevron. And global LNG flows out of the Middle East were upended earlier this year by Iran’s blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. 

Under the government's new Large Energy Users connection policy, gas demand for electricity generation could increase by 20% due to data centres. This would mean that if the data centres currently awaiting planning approval are given access to the gas grid, there could be a shortfall in Ireland’s gas supply of 9-18% during a period of severe cold. Evidently, an LNG terminal is not an energy security solution, rather it is being proposed to enable the continued, unsustainable growth of data centres.

Real energy security for Ireland would mean indigenous renewable energy (particularly community owned), increased electricity storage and interconnection, demand management, demand reduction through energy efficiency and insulation measures and, crucially, a reduction in demand from data centres. 

The US could supply 80% of the LNG imported to Europe by 2030. and Donald Trump is pressuring Ireland to buy US LNG. Meanwhile, you have engaged in talks with the Governor of New Mexico to discuss long term purchasing of US fracked gas. The vast majority of US LNG is produced by fracking, which was banned in Ireland in 2017 due to its adverse impacts on the environment and public health. Communities in the US where LNG is produced through fracking are suffering from respiratory illness, cancer, reproductive issues, blood related disorders in children and mental health issues. These issues disproportionately affect disadvantaged and poorer communities, and communities of colour.  You must not allow Ireland to be complicit in this social injustice. Additionally, importing fracked gas would threaten our ban on fracking.

The proposed LNG terminal is estimated to cost taxpayers at least €900 million euro but could be far more. LNG itself is expensive and is likely to become far more expensive in the future.  This will increase electricity bills, but nowhere in the legislation is there reference to this impact from the proposed development, nor has there been any cost-benefit analysis conducted. Furthermore, the proposed development, because of its massive climate impact, would make it more certain that taxpayers in this country will be on the hook for EU fines up to €26 billion. It would also mean rising economic costs from worsening storms and floods in this country, including rising insurance premiums.

 Security and Safety Risk

Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive of Predator Oil and Gas, said he would never live beside an LNG import terminal because of the risk of explosion. Floating LNG terminals, like the one being planned on your watch, are very vulnerable to attack and disruption. Just this summer, a US-owned LNG import terminal was attacked by a drone in Egypt, with the fire spreading to an LNG tanker.  These massive safety and security risks have not been addressed. As you must be well aware as Minister for Climate, LNG terminals, with their climate impact, also increase risk of floods, wildfires and sea-level rise, drought, food shortages, migration and geopolitical unrest.

You tried to block pre-legislative scrutiny on the SGR Act which paves the way for the proposed LNG terminal. Nonetheless, the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Climate, Environment and Energy identified a wide range of problems with the Act and made 43 recommendations in their Pre-Legislative Scrutiny Report. Almost none of these have been implemented. Now the Act gives you the authority to grant approval instead of An Comisiún Pleanála, even if the project is likely to have adverse impacts on a European site (e.g Natura 2000 site), a priority habitat or a priority species.You are also yielding to pressure from the US to enter into agreements with them on importing their fracked gas, thereby supporting their “America First”, “drill baby drill” policy, and undermining democracy world-wide.

There is simply no scenario that justifies the construction of an LNG terminal in Ireland in this climate crisis. We, the undersigned, urgently call on you to abandon this project, ban LNG import terminals and accelerate Ireland’s transition to a just, fossil-fuel-free energy system.