Geoghegan Demands End to 2021 Ban to Stop Fuel Price Protests
The one energy resource that this country has in abundance is wind
James Geoghegan, a fuel price protest leader, demanded the Government reverse the 2021 ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration licenses as a condition for ending blockades. He claimed developing Ireland's offshore oil was the best way to avoid energy shocks, a demand echoed by other protesters.
The Government's package ended the blockades, but protests could resume if prices remain high. The idea of energy security through domestic oil and gas is questionable.
Despite claims of vast offshore fossil fuels and investor frenzy in the 1980s, only three gas fields and no oil fields have been developed after decades of exploration. Oil discoveries like Barryroe are not commercially viable.
Ireland's abundant wind resources offer the potential for energy export and carbon emission elimination, making it central to achieving energy security. Eamon Ryan correctly introduced the 2021 ban due to climate change concerns.