Dublin, 16th November 2023: Following their protest outside his department offices this morning and brief interaction with his private secretary, Extinction Rebellion Ireland contacted the Minister, repeating their demand for an emergency meeting with him to discuss why it’s critical to rule out LNG imports.

The text of the email was as follows:

“Dear Minister Ryan,
This morning, Extinction Rebellion Ireland expressed our outrage at the stance you adopted this week, as Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, in recommending a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) as an energy security solution. We know that an FSRU means LNG imports. In a hastily convened protest, we highlighted the dangers of LNG by staging, outside your offices at DECC, an “LNG tanker” leaking “methane”.
In the last election, the Green Party campaigned against the importation of LNG. That stance was included in the Programme For Government as a ban on the import of fracked gas - which effectively rules out LNG imports - because it’s entirely unfeasible to verify that any LNG imported is from gas that was produced without fracking. With 12 months at most left in Government, if breaking with Government partners on this issue means the collapse of Government, that is a sacrifice worth making. This issue is too major to compromise on. Too much depends on it.
Ireland’s addiction to fossil fuels must end. There can be no new fossil fuel infrastructure. Fossil fuels are destabilizing our climate. LNG is just as bad in terms of greenhouse gas emissions as coal (and by some reports, worse). Scientists are screaming at us to slash emissions. You must heed them and not lead us down a path of destruction.
The most important duty of your Ministerial position is to safeguard the future of the people of Ireland. There is little you can achieve between now and the next election that could be as impactful as heading off the threat of LNG imports. We consider this issue to be urgent and we formally now ask you for an emergency meeting with us by mid-December, to discuss with you why it is critical to rule out LNG imports.
We look forward to hearing back from you.
Love and rage,
Angela Deegan and Nathan Edgar Hutchinson
Activists with Extinction Rebellion Ireland”

Extinction Rebellion Ireland will continue to put pressure on the Minister if he refuses to meet with us.

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