Taoiseach admits Government 'taken by surprise' by energy supply challenges

Taoiseach Micheál Martin: "There is no question that there is growing demand on our energy because we are growing as an economy, we’re growing as a population." Picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has admitted the Government "was taken a bit by surprise" about the current challenges to the energy supply, and conceded that "people would perhaps have expected an earlier warning system".

The Government has launched a review into the energy supply concerns that have accelerated in recent months, with a number of system alerts issued by Eirgrid when the country's power system is feeling the strain of the amount of energy being used.