Ireland will not support a proposed EU deal to cut gas use by 15% when energy ministers meet today.
Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan will meet with his EU counterparts in Brussels today ahead of a vote on whether to mandate gas reductions across the bloc.
Last week, the European Commission urged EU countries to reduce natural gas consumption by 15% over the next eight months to ensure there are adequate reserves for the winter.
The reduction of 15% would equate to about six weeks of gas consumption by the EU. The initially voluntary move is part of the European Commission's plan to co-ordinate gas reductions across the EU. Brussels is increasingly fearful of Russian "blackmail" that would see the latter cut off supplies to the continent. However, Ireland is seeking a special status in any agreement.
Unlike most of mainland Europe, Ireland is not directly connected to the Russian supply system.
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Instead, the majority of gas imported here comes from the UK and Norway, with the remainder (around 30%) sourced domestically from the Corrib gas field.
Government sources said that while they aim to reduce gas consumption here, they do not want to be bound to a 15% cut. They said: "If we make the same reductions [15%], it won't help the EU countries who are reliant on Russian gas."
The source explained that Ireland is looking for "flexibility" - essentially the ability to opt out - and noted that it would be difficult to achieve 15% reductions here as a high percentage of our gas consumption is used for generating electricity.
The source said the Government will "show solidarity" with our EU counterparts by voluntarily reducing gas consumption.
Under the first phase of the plan, reductions will be made voluntarily. However, if accepted in its current form, the "Union Alert" system would see 15% reductions become mandatory across the EU.
The energy rationing would focus initially on industries that use the most gas.
Several other EU countries, such as Spain, Portugal and Greece, have already publicly said that they will not sign up to the deal in its current form.
