Elaine Loughlin: Sinn Féin hints at plan for Irish energy independence

The acknowledgment that our energy supply needs to be independent, from a person most now see as a future Taoiseach, should not be downplayed

Elaine Loughlin On the Plinth

FORGET greenwashing, Sinn Féin is now taking a different approach to the climate agenda by wrapping the green flag around it.

Mary Lou McDonald’s party, it appears, has come up with an inventive and crafty plan to advance the republican cause of ending any reliance we have on our nearest neighbour and former overlord. Producing clean energy is of course a handy by-product of the proposal.

The main opposition party has long been accused of treating the climate emergency as an afterthought and so the intervention
of Mary Lou McDonald at the
Sinn Féin ard fheis on Saturday night, albeit a vague enough one, grabbed the attention of environmentalists.

In asking voters to give her “a chance” to lead the next government, she said: “Energy independence will be a game-changer for Ireland, transforming our economy, creating new jobs, opportunity, prosperity.”

With just under 75% of the gas used in Ireland imported from the UK, it was a subtle way to bash the Brits while reinforcing the republican message of true independence.

Very clever.

Of course, the devil is always in the detail and, beyond the one-line reference during the televised address, the idea of what energy independence might look like under a Sinn Féin government are sparse.

The party’s alternative budget did not contain any mention of energy independence, nor were solar or wind energy singled out for consideration in the document.

Instead, there was a vague outline of how a Sinn Féin government would make transition to a low-carbon emission society affordable and accessible.

“Sinn Féin would support people to do more for the climate by making low emission alternatives more affordable and accessible,” it said.

The document then made reference to a €3m renewable energy cooperative development unit and grant scheme that would replace the current renewable energy support scheme.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill after speaking during her presidential address at the party ard fheis at Shelbourne Hall Dublin. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

The proposals also included the establishment of a new just transition commission and increasing the Just Transition fund at a cost of €11.8m.

‘Just Transition’ has been the buzzword bandied about by Sinn Féin up until now as it avoided providing a clear stance on many climate-related measures.

However, Sinn Féin has been clear on what it is against.

The party has fought hard against carbon taxes. It is opposed to cutting the suckler heard to reduce emissions but has given no commitment on reducing the dairy herd.

While it was criticised for failing to have any opinion when the controversial sectoral carbon targets were being thrashed out over the summer, in recent months Ms McDonald has been meeting with NGOs and environmental organisations and even spoke at the National Energy Summit back in April.

Indeed, the likes of the Environmental Pillar, Fair Seas, and Wind Energy Ireland had stalls at the RDS on Saturday, giving them
direct lobbying access to future Sinn Féin ministers.

Justin Moran of Wind Energy Ireland welcomed the focus on energy independence in Ms McDonald’s speech.

“I think what we in Wind Energy Ireland and the renewable energy industry as a whole believe that Ireland can be energy independent,” he said.

“We can be relying on renewable sources for electricity, certainly by 2035, and that’s something we want every political party to come behind, not just Sinn Féin, not just the Green Party, but this belongs to everyone.”

But others have taken a more cautious, if not cynical, view of this new departure into the world of energy independence.

“It’s promising to see that Mary Lou McDonald has recognised the need for energy independence, but you really need to look under the hood at what is she suggesting,” said Elaine McGoff, natural environment officer with An Taisce.

When she referred to energy independence is she referring to renewable energy?

Ms McGoff suggested that being free of UK-supplied gas does not necessarily mean a move to a green alternative. Even a move to wind energy can have negative repercussions.

She also said the party needs to spell out where it stands in terms of protecting biodiversity.

Offshore renewable wind farms can really have a massive impact on marine habitat, so where does Sinn Féin stand on having marine protected areas, are they in favour of them and would their proposed offshore wind farms protect marine ecosystems?

Ms McGoff added: “Given that they are appealing to a young votership — climate change is one of the most important issues for one for everybody, but particularly for young people who are really laser-focused on it.

“So, you would imagine that Sinn Féin really should be setting out their stall very clearly on where they stand on climate change and what they intend to do given that there’s a high chance that they’re going to be in government next.”

Senator Lynn Boylan who, to her credit, has been among a small minority within Sinn Féin who has been working on developing climate action policies, said the main priority is to ensure the current targets for renewable energy are met.

“The Ukraine war has shown just how important it is that we’re not held hostage to geopolitical consequences in terms of energy,” said Ms Boylan. “So it’s more about realising the ambition for the offshore potential, the solar potential.”

Ultimately getting to net zero emissions by 2050 is the main goal of environmentalists and those concerned by climate change.

Whether that is through hammering home the need to be more climate conscious or is delivered under the banner of Irish energy emancipation shouldn’t really matter.

While still lacking the detail required, the acknowledgment — by a person most now see as a future taoiseach — that our energy supply needs to be independent should not be downplayed.

• Hot topics
• Cop On: The last eight years are on track to be the warmest on record, while the rise in sea levels has doubled in the last 30 years. In this context, all eyes will be on what sort of agreement world leaders can hammer out at the COP27 event this week.
• Ukraine War: The Foreign Affairs Committee will hear from members of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukrainian Parliament). Closer to home, Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman is under sustained pressure to find suitable accommodation for the thousands arriving here seeking support.
• Trolleyed: Last week, the HSE's chief clinical officer admitted patients can expect to be stuck on trolleys for 24 hours in hospital emergency departments this winter. This week, Sinn Féin will use its Dáil term to raise issues in the health service.
• Regenerating relations: The Taoiseach will be in Blackpool for a meeting of the British-Irish Council (BIC) on Thursday and Friday. The theme of the meeting will be sustainable growth and regeneration.
• Planning woes: The departure of Dave Walsh as chair of the board of An Bord Pleanála last week is the latest in a string of problems to beset the authority. It is expected that Department of Housing officials will be pressed on the issues which have engulfed ABP when they come before the Housing Committee on Thursday for scrutiny of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022.

This week in years gone by

1966

Nov 10: Jack Lynch became the first Corkman to hold the office of Taoiseach. His election was greeted in the Dáil with "loud, prolonged and enthusiastic applause" from the Fianna Fáil benches and from the crowed public gallery. It was reported that his new Cabinet "created no surprises, but showed a certain realism by placing the Departments of Transport and Power and Posts and Telegraphs under the one minister."

1987

Nov 8: Details of a bomb which killed 11 civilians and an RUC officer in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh were reported on under the headline 'Provo Bloodbath'. The blast ripped through the quiet market town without warning as crowds gathered for the Remembrance Sunday wreath-laying ceremony. The PIRA bombing also left more than 50 people injured.

1998

Nov 8: Then finance minister Charlie McCreevey declared war on farmers, claiming they were exaggerating the problems facing the industry. In comments, which sparked fury from representative organisations, he said: "The farmers are saying that the farming industry is on its knees. It is not. The farmers have hyped up what are essentially short-term problems."

2001

Nov 8: Long before any mention of a bank guarantee, then Central Bank governor Maurice O'Connell warned that Ireland had seen the end of the Celtic Tiger. The Irish Examiner reported that the number of job losses had already reached 13,000, with Aer Lingus, RTÉ and the Irish Times all calling for major jobs cuts to avoid impending closure.

2011

Nov 11: At his inauguration, President Michael D Higgins acknowledged the "pain" of a "wounded" society and promised a presidency of "transformation" with a move away from wealth-based values. It was time to close a chapter, he said, that has "left us fragile as an economy but most of all wounded as a society", with unacceptably high levels of unemployment, mortgage insecurity and "broken expectations".

• Did you know?
• Former TD Brigid Hogan-O’Higgins was laid to rest on Sunday. Ms Hogan-O'Higgins and her husband Michael J O’Higgins made history when they became the first married couple to serve in Dáil Éireann at the same time. She was the first woman to represent Galway in Dáil Éireann and served as a TD for 20 years, representing the constituencies of Galway South, Galway East and Clare-Galway South. Her father Patrick Hogan also served as the first Minister for Agriculture in the new Irish State.