THE government plans to build a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) for liquified natural gas (LNG) in Cahiracon.
Despite Minister Darragh O’Brien’s recent admission that the state will miss its 2030 emissions reduction targets by a significant margin, the decision to build Ireland’s first LNG terminal appears to be imminent.
In order to fast track this process, the government is bringing forward legislation that would give the minister direct power over planning approval for the LNG terminal, instead of going through the usual An Coimisiún Pleanála procedure. The Minister requested the all-party Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment to waive pre-legislative scrutiny on the bill.
After pushback from committee members, it was agreed that pre-legislative scrutiny will take place in an expedited timeframe of four weeks with just one week long of consultation open to members of the public (closing date 30th January).
Although Ireland banned the ecologically destructive practice of fracking in 2017, the proposed LNG terminal in Cahiracon, could import fracked gas from the US to Ireland.
For approximately two decades, multinational fossil fuel corporations have attempted to construct a new LNG terminal in the Shannon Estuary at Ballylongford, Co Kerry, less than 40km from the site of the proposed LNG terminal at Cahiracon.
Environmental campaigners have been engaged in a decades-long fight against these plans, including several high court battles. Most recently, in September 2024, the High Court overturned a ruling by An Bord Pleanála refusing permission for the Kerry terminal. Environmental groups have objected to Shannon LNG previously on the basis of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, 2015. However, the Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve Bill 2025, if implemented into legislation, could have the potential to legally prevent any high court challenge on the proposed Cahiracon facility on the basis of the Climate Act.
“The way in which Minister O’Brien is trying to force a LNG terminal into Irish legislation is an insult to Irish democracy,” said Sinéad Sheehan of Futureproof Clare. “We do not believe government claims that the proposed LNG terminal in Cahiracon will only be used in emergencies, as the bill does not make this provision.”
“If this bill is passed the LNG facility could and most likely will import ‘drill baby drill’ fracked gas from the US, which will feed the Irish data centre boom. Relying on Donald Trump’s gas from the USA is not energy security, it is geopolitical insanity. The Strategic Emergency Gas Bill that the Minister does not want scrutiny on is new legislation that would give him ultimate decision-making power about whether or not a LNG terminal is built in Ireland without proper consultation or public participation in decision-making.”
Tom Spillane, fourth year planning student at TU Dublin and member of Futureproof Clare said, “One week public consultation for a bill with significant consequences is not acceptable. This is merely a tick the box exercise rather than meaningful consultation. It’s baffling as to why Minister O’Brien wishes to push through legislation that will allow for major fossil fuel infrastructure to be constructed in Ireland at a time of climate crisis.”
