Influencers' opinions on clean energy options
We list the opinions of various Irish people on whether all options, including nuclear energy, should be considered for their ability to improve how we deliver clean energy
Irish open to looking at all options, including nuclear energy?
Being open to looking at all options does not mean agreeing that nuclear should be built in Ireland, as any proposal would need planning and environmental approval, licensing, and so on. However, the nuclear energy bans would need to be lifted, as the State can't honestly research nuclear while it is against State law here
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Eamon Ryan, Energy Minister ("Nuclear power should be considered")
Engineers Ireland (Nuclear can support energy security and reduce fossil fuels)
Irish Academy of Engineering ("Especially small modular reactors")
ESB (SMRs could make it "appropriate to reconsider nuclear" - p31)
EirGrid CEO Mark Foley ("nuclear should now be considered")
Bono, U2 singer ("Nuclear is the answer")
The Edge, U2 guitarist (backs nuclear solution to climate problem)
Patrick Collison, Stripe co-founder ("nuclear transformatively helpful")
Alex White, former Energy Minister ("nuclear must be explored")
Denis Naughten, former Energy Minister ("nothing to fear")
David McWilliams, economist ("nuclear is compelling")
Michael McDowell, Senator (It's nuclear or gas & No wishful thinking)
Colm McCarthy, UCD Economist (Author of 'an Bord Snip' and 'an Bord Snip Nua')
Billy Kelleher, FF MEP (has an open mind on clean energy sources)
James Lawless, FF Minister Environment, Climate, etc (Open minded)
SEAI (Nuclear is an option, especially SMRs - p63)
Meath County Council (Motion to consider nuclear passed by MCC)
Michael O'Leary, Ryanair CEO (Ireland needs nuclear power)
Young people (TheJournal.ie poll)
Most Irish people (Sampled at Electric Picnic 2024)
More Irish people (Twitter poll "Should Ireland seriously consider developing a Nuclear Power plant?")
Northern Irish professionals (Nuclear is worth considering)
KPMG (Small reactors might suit Ireland's scale)
The Workers Party (In favour of nuclear energy for socialist reasons)
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The Irish silent majority - "not anti-nuclear"?
​It is reasonable to be unsure about whether nuclear energy would be useful to Ireland given that it has not been adequately studied. It would not be reasonable to simply ignore nuclear, in the hope that it's not needed.​​​​​
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An Taoiseach Simon Harris, and Fine Gael (FG acts "regardless of dogma or ideology and recognises the threat from ... bad planning". Perhaps the ideological anti-nuclear clause in the 2023 Planning Bill was just a temporary oversight?)
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An Tánaiste Micheál Martin, and Fianna Fáil (Reportedly)
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Sinn Féin (No mention of nuclear found in their policies)
Social Democrats (No mention of nuclear found in their policies)
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Independent Alliance
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Seán Kelly FG MEP (Likes Ireland-France interconnector, so presumed supportive despite his acknowledged lack of nuclear info. Confusingly, also mentions importance of moving away from "dependence on fossil or nuclear energy", although nuclear is central to EU energy policy)
EPA (Balanced view of nuclear energy for Ireland. p91)
The Irish anti-nuclear?
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These opinions appear closed to even considering whether nuclear energy could help deliver clean energy faster and in a more environmentally- sustainable way. They appear to be driven more by ideology than by pragmatism
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Eamon Ryan TD Minister for Energy (Prefers emergency gas to nuclear and disputes expert engineers research on cost and effectiveness)
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Green Party (formed after anti-nuclear 'success' in 1980 that led to a coal-fired station instead. "Greens stand for a nuclear-free Europe")
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Labour Party (Labour TD pushed for the 1999 nuclear ban. Energy policy is very lacking in detail)
People Before Profit Party (against nuclear energy for socialist reasons - article includes a photo of a burning oil refinery!)
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Friends of the Earth (Still adopt the poor "voodoo economics" & "Ireland must not buy British nuclear" arguments of 1999)
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Friends of the Irish Environment (vehemently opposed to nuclear energy development in Ireland and Britain)
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Michael McGrath FF EU Commissioner ("It’s not nuclear"; disagrees with Engineers Ireland but produces no evidence to support his view)