Ireland has the highest electricity prices in Europe and our gas prices are also well above the EU average. Ireland is also more dependent on fossil fuels than almost any other EU country and we import the vast majority of our fuel requirements. We are therefore very vulnerable to international energy crises.

The introduction of competition in our energy market may help to reduce eergy prices but we are only beginning to see the effects of EU policy in this area. To protect ourselves from vulnerable supplies, we need to create stronger links to European energy markets (pipelines, interconnectors etc.). We also need to develop renewable energy and the EU could assist in R&D for wind and wave technologies.