Ireland needs to make a "once in a generation move" to reverse the ban on nuclear energy, according to the proposer of the change.
Fianna Fáil TD James O'Connor has put forward a bill to make the change as a realistic solution to the increasing cost of energy.
He told RTÉ's Today with David McCullagh that Ireland's energy needs will increase by 45% in the next eight years.
Around €1 million an hour is being spent on fossil fuels, Mr O'Connor said, while the Government is spending billions every year on these fuels, and failing to meet climate targets will result in fines.
He said that Ireland has the most expensive energy prices in the European Union, while Finland has the cheapest, because 35-40% of its supply comes from nuclear, in a country with a similar population.
"There's a cost in not doing anything" and introducing nuclear power is "a viable option" that would give this country "energy sovereignty", according to the Cork East TD.
Mr O'Connor said that he wanted to start a national conversation on the issue, adding that the move should be in conjunction with European neighbours.
Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman said he accepted that "we need to radically change our energy system".
However, Ireland should achieve energy independence through renewable energy, he told the same programme, and be able to sell electricity to other EU states.
Mr O'Gorman said that the nuclear option "is slow and expensive to implement" and "is not the right fit for" Ireland’s energy grid.
He said that investment and commitment is needed by the Government to implement existing rewewable energy plans, adding that the debate around nuclear energy "is a distraction" from what is beneficial for this country.
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Later, speaking at Leinster House, Mr O'Gorman said: "renewable energy has the capacity to make Ireland energy independent" and "the capacity to deliver lower bills for Irish households".
He described as "alarming" reports that the Celtic Interconnector with France is two years behind schedule, adding that the delay needs to be investigated.
People Before Profit described the nuclear energy discussion as "absolutely crazy".
Deputy Paul Murphy said: "It makes no sense for a country like Ireland to develop nuclear ... the safety concerns and so on are very, very severe".
He claimed the Government is talking about the issue "to avoid having a conversation about data centres".
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that he would be "open" to nuclear energy, but expressed concerns about the cost and time associated with introducing it.
Additional reporting Juliette Gash
