Mattie McGrath warns of fuel crisis, urges peat and LNG rethink
Mattie McGrath raised urgent concerns about rising fuel prices and energy security amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis, warning diesel could reach £2.25 and petrol £2.40 per litre and urging contingency planning. He called for reconsideration of peat plant closures, use of LNG, assessment of oil and gas storage and alternatives to an incoming gas pipeline.
Immediate price warnings
He cited forecasts that diesel could reach £2.25 a litre and petrol £2.40, describing the situation as a 'perfect storm' for households and businesses.
Questions on storage and supply
He asked how much oil and gas storage the country has and pressed for clarity on supply resilience if Russian supplies or shipping were disrupted.
Calls to reconsider peat and LNG
He urged reconsideration of the closure of peat plants in the Midlands, reopening stations, use of an LNG plant and exploring alternatives to the gas line to protect businesses and livelihoods.
Government response and legal position
The Taoiseach said officials are coordinating contingency planning on fuel supplies and costs. On peat, the Taoiseach said the matter was not a government decision and the courts had ruled the previous arrangements were not legally valid; alternative approaches and measures by the Minister of Agriculture to utilise bogs of a certain size were referenced.
Sanctions and supply risks
He acknowledged sanctions for Russia are part of the discussion but warned that if Russian oil or gas supplies were stopped, the country must have viable alternatives to avoid 'sleepwalk[ing] into this crisis.'
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T.J. from Pepe Store. It was blown up around the crisis with the price of oil. Diesel could go to £2.25 a litre, we're told, and petrol to £2.40. With the Russian situation and the Russian gas, what alternatives have you here for this supply of gas? How much storage do we have in the country of oil? How many storage do we have? And will you reconsider the closure of the peat plants in the Midlands, the LNG plant for instance, and indeed an alternative to the gas line that's coming in and look at other areas? Because we can't just blindfold it, we'll sleepwalk into this crisis. People have to try and live and business have to thrive. So it's a perfect storm, as you know, and we can talk about sanctions for Russia, but if they stop the aisle, where are we? And how storage do we have? And will we look at these alternatives, it makes lots of sense to reopen those stations and to have them viable and working. Taoiseach? Yeah, well, first of all, I think the government officials have been meeting and coordinating in respect of the Russian-Ukraine crisis in terms of contingency planning on a number of fronts in terms of potential repercussions from the escalation of the crisis and the resulting impact on fuel supplies, costs and so forth. In terms of peat, that wasn't the government decision. That was illegal. The courts decided that what was going on was not legally valid or correct. I know, but the courts decided. We can't just keep going on with illegality if that's what's... And the courts are very clear on that. But we have developed alternative approaches and the Minister of Agriculture, as you know, has in terms of utilising bogs of a certain size to source the peat for our natural resources. Deputy Pringle.
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