PRESS RELEASE | 18 June 2024
DISTRICT ENERGY ASSOCIATION THANKS EAMON RYAN FOR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO CLIMATE ACTION
The Irish District Energy Association (IrDEA) extends its best wishes to Minister Eamon Ryan on the announcement of his resignation as the leader of the Green Party.
Minister Ryan has demonstrated unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability and climate action throughout his time in politics. His tenure as Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications has seen significant strides forward in Ireland and the EU’s climate agenda, with Ireland’s district energy sector benefitting greatly as a result.
The consistency, clarity, and commitment shown by Minister Ryan to the energy transition has seen the district energy sector’s 2030 targets grow from 0.6 to 2.7TWhr (enough to meet the heat demand equivalent of approx. 200,000 homes and 2,500 public buildings).
In a statement responding to today’s announcement, IrDEA CEO, Yvonne Murphy said:
It would be an understatement to say what he has done during his time as Minister has been a turning point for the district energy sector in Ireland. Minister Ryan has not only led the government towards ever more ambitious district energy targets but has invested significantly in resources aimed at delivering them. This includes establishing two new business units in his department focused exclusively on heating, convening the District Heating Steering Group, and the landmark establishment of a District Heating Centre of Excellence within the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. During his time in politics and leading the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Minister Ryan has built a legacy of forward looking and evidence-based policy that we believe will deliver much needed expansion of low-carbon district energy for Ireland. We wish the Minister the very best in what comes after his resignation and thank him wholeheartedly for his dedication, commitment, and leadership.
IrDEA Chairperson and Co-Founder, Dr David Connolly said,
I have had the privilege of working in the district energy sector in various capacities and throughout different forums over the years, and I have always known Eamon Ryan to be a leading and committed advocate for this technology and the sector in Ireland. His term in government has been a watershed moment for district energy, a pivotal time when the sector's foundations were established and the seeds for its exponential growth were planted. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Minister Ryan for his long-standing, career-long commitment to district energy and wish him all the best into the future.
Connolly concluded in saying,
Though today’s announcement signals his intention to stand down from politics soon, we look forward to supporting Minister Ryan and his officials as they finalise the key pieces of work that remain outstanding. This includes seeing Ireland’s first piece of dedicated legislation for the district energy sector initiated and passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas and establishing a financial support scheme to promote delivery of district energy projects. There is much to do in the coming weeks and months, and we look forward to supporting the Minister and his team in this vital work.
The Irish District Energy Association is the sole trade representative organisation for the sector in Ireland, it is a membership-based organisation whose aim it is to promote and support the development of the sector.
District energy networks distribute water, which has been heated at a local energy centre, to buildings through a network of insulated underground pipes eliminating the need for fossil fuels and individual boilers. The benefits include improved energy security, efficiency savings, affordability, better air quality and employment opportunities.
ENDS
Contact
Yvonne Murphy
Chief Executive Officer, Irish District Energy Association
yvonne@districtenergy.ie
089 4946654
