The Government needs to do more to ensure the security of Ireland's energy supply into the future, according to a new report from the National Competitiveness Council.
The report expresses concern about the ability of the Irish energy market to cater for further economic expansion in Ireland and to provide competitively priced energy.
It says the Government should accelerate the investment of public money in building energy interconnectors between Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK and continental Europe.
It also calls for extra money to be spent on building fuel storage facilities because of Ireland's heavy dependence on imported fuel.
The annual report of the National Competitiveness Council also highlights the cost of electricity in Ireland has gone from being 15% below the EU average 10 years ago to being 13% above average today.
It points out that Irish electricity costs have been rising almost three times faster than the EU average over that period.
It also highlights that Ireland imports 90% of our energy and says that this makes the security of energy supply a strategic issue of national importance.
The Chairman of the National Competitiveness Council, Don Thornhill, said it makes him very uncomfortable that the use of nuclear energy in Ireland is an issue that cannot be discussed.
