Paschal Donohoe: We must accelerate our move to energy independence
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Ireland must accelerate its drive towards energy independence to avoid "the real price" of doing business with governments guilty of human rights abuses, the finance minister has said.
Speaking to the in London, Paschal Donohoe said the war in Ukraine served as a reminder that Ireland and Europe must be responsible for their own energy security.
Mr Donohoe was asked if Ireland could continue to justify importing fuel from countries such as Saudi Arabia — which executed 81 people last weekend and is engaged in a long war in Yemen — while Russia is under sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine.
"We have to keep on making the case for human rights. We have to keep on condemning the horrendous executions that took place in Saudi Arabia," he said.
"At the same time, we need to radically accelerate our energy independence in Ireland and in Europe. You know, when we're in a position that we have to source our energy from other parts of the world, we are now learning what can be the real price of that. And that is why it's so critical for me that we have to accelerate where we are now with offshore wind.
Mr Donohoe said, however, that Ireland and the EU have to find an "intermediary step" between independence and isolationism. He said it is likely that Europe will be able to achieve the goal bloc-wide, because Ireland will need forms of fuel that are not readily available.
"The path to our self-sufficiency is not one that will happen overnight. And while we are making that journey, we will need to get gas and oil from other parts of the world.
"That then cannot be a recipe for isolationism," Mr Donohoe said.
"And I think one consequence of the horror that's unfolding in Ukraine and two questions the provenance now of human rights issues such as you're raising with me, it's meant that this is another reason why the drive to renewable energy is so important."