Sean Kelly warns of energy crisis in face of Brexit

An Irish MEP is warning that Ireland could be "sleepwalking" its way into a major energy crisis.

Sean Kelly says that most of our natural gas is supplied via a single inter-connector from Britain.

Mr Kelly says that when the UK leaves the EU, Ireland will have no security of supply unless measures are taken now.

The Ireland South MEP said that the European Commission has approved the Ballylongford site on the Shannon Estuary as a Liquid Natural Gas storage terminal.

This means that cheap gas can be imported from the USA via huge tankers, and he is calling for immediate Government action to advance this project.

He said: "We have an opportunity to build in Ballylongford, it has all the necessary licences, etc. and all it needs now is the go-ahead from the Irish authorities to ensure we can have the investment, and also the support financially from Europe, which is there if we decide to build it.

"We have to do it now and do it quickly."