merrion street

Minister Denis Naughten, T.D., has welcomed the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers to their first ever conference in Ireland.

A welcome address was delivered this morning on behalf of the Minister to the conference in Malahide, at which he said:

“Céad míle fáilte, or a hundred thousand welcomes, to everyone, and in particular to those not from Ireland who have travelled to be here today. I welcome Sheila Lauchlan, IGEM President, and her colleagues to Ireland, as indeed I do all you delegates to what looks to be a very interesting and valuable day.

Gas is an important transition fuel in Ireland’s efforts to decarbonise our economy and achieve the targets we have set ourselves in domestic energy policy and with respect to our international obligations. Energy infrastructure – what is appropriate and how to implement it – is a key feature of current energy policy. This conference is very timely as we consider these issues.

In this regard, our state-owned gas networks business, Gas Networks Ireland, is a pioneer in its work concerning not just extending the natural gas network around the country, but also facilitating the utilisation of new offshore gas finds and in innovation, with respect to compressed natural gas in transport and preparing for biogas and, potentially, hydrogen in the energy mix. I congratulate them for helping to bring this conference to Ireland.

Our engineering profession, headlined by conference sponsors RPS, Murphy and Fingleton White, have been in the vanguard, both here in Ireland and in the UK and further afield, in implementing safe, efficient and innovative gas supply solutions to energy demand issues.

I want to thank the Commission for Energy Regulation in joining with my own department in supporting this important conference, and I hope that the event will be a success.”

Denis Naughten, T.D.
Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Notes for Editors:
IGEM (Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers) is a chartered professional body, licensed by the Engineering Council, serving a wide range of professionals in the international gas industry through Membership, events and a comprehensive set of Technical Standards.
Aims
· To promote the attainment and maintenance of the highest standards of professional competence
· To provide high quality products, services and personal and professional development
· To continue to identify and improve gas policy in co-operation with other stakeholders
· To conduct all our activities with robust governance and on a sound financial basis
and through the delivery of all of these, promote, encourage and enhance membership.
Vision
To be the pre-eminent Institution for gas professionals across the world.