Minister Naughten Must Prioritise Establishment of Energy Forum in 2017
IFA Renewables Project Team Chairman James Murphy has called on Energy Minister Denis Naughten to lead a co-ordinated approach to energy policy by establishing the long-awaited Energy Forum in early 2017.
James Murphy said, “It has been over 12 months since Government announced its intention to establish a national Energy Forum, to maximize and maintain consensus on energy policy”.
He added, “There has never been as great a need for this Forum, given the post-Brexit concerns around the single energy market on the island of Ireland, the decision by An Bord Pleanála to grant EirGrid’s north-south Interconnector project and uncertainty in renewables, particularly on feed-in tariffs for solar energy and biomass and the need for wind and solar planning guidelines.”
Concluding, Mr. Murphy said, “Any new national Energy Forum must be more than just a talking shop. There is need for clear and joined up thinking and this clarity must come from this forum.”