Nuclear power can be part of EU's energy future, commission says

Environment Minister Eamon Ryan said he had 'not ruled out' the possibility of nuclear power being utilised during the transition to more efficient energy, but said there was no appetite for it at the moment. Picture: Guillaume Souvant/AFP via Getty Images

The European Commission has signalled that nuclear power can be part of a sustainable energy future across the EU, as Irish lobbyists for the sector step up their efforts to bring it to the national conversation.

The EU's governing arm has come in for intense criticism by some environmentalists in recent days after suggesting it "considers there is a role for natural gas and nuclear as a means to facilitate the transition towards a predominantly renewable-based future".