Security of energy supplies has always been vital for all economies, at least since the industrial revolution. In an era in which international trade is being weaponised more frequently, Ireland’s high dependence on energy imports is a growing vulnerability. This is, all the more so, in the context of a European security environment which has deteriorated markedly since 2022. In this edition of IIEA Insights, Eamonn O’Reilly will assess this island’s vulnerabilities, current government plans to address them, and what he thinks should be done to enhance energy security.

Eamonn O’Reilly is Chair of the Energy & Climate Action Committee of the Irish Academy of Engineering. He is an engineer by profession and has worked on power plant projects in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Congo. Among other previous roles, he was Chief Executive of Dublin Port for 12 years until 2022, during which time he brought a programme of major port development projects from concept, through consenting, finance, and on to completion.