Eirgrid chief says role for nuclear energy deserves 'deep interrogation' 

Eirgrid chief executive Mark Foley said he thinks the possibility of nuclear energy reactors in Ireland should be explored.

A potential role for nuclear energy in Ireland deserves "deep interrogation" in the quest for a carbon-neutral power system, Eirgrid's chief executive has said.

The calls for an exploration into potential small nuclear reactors in Ireland have grown in recent years but Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has poured cold water on the possibility, saying it would be too expensive and cumbersome.