State’s over-reliance on fossil fuel imports threatens economy

IRELAND’S over-reliance on imported fossil fuels remains the biggest threat to the country’s economy, the Green Party warned yesterday.

New energy statistics show the country’s energy import dependence, at 90%, is way above the EU average of around 50%.

The analysis from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) shows that oil — all of which is imported — accounts for 57% of the country’s energy use and that consumption increased by almost 3% last year.