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Virginia Mayo

EU asks member states to cut gas use by 15% over winter to avoid Russian 'blackmail'

The Taoiseach has said Ireland is not overly reliant on Russian gas but rising cost due to a shortage may be a factor here.

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION has urged EU countries to reduce demand for natural gas by 15 percent over the coming months to secure winter stocks and defeat Russian “blackmail”.

Announcing an emergency plan, EU commissioners also asked member states to give Brussels special powers to impose compulsory energy rationing if Russia cuts off Europe’s gas lifeline.

It said this would happen: “when there is a substantial risk of a severe gas shortage or an exceptionally high demand of gas occurs, which results in a significant deterioration of the gas supply situation”.

The need is high, said EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

“Russia is blackmailing us. Russia is using energy as a weapon. And therefore, in any event, whether it’s a partial major cut-off of Russian gas or total cut-off of Russian gas, Europe needs to be ready,” Ms von der Leyen said.

The Taoiseach Micheál Martin, speaking on RTE from Tokyo, said that Ireland was not reliant on Russian gas but that there was a need to stockpile to prevent a price hike.  

“Our supply lines are somewhat different in terms of Norway to the UK to Ireland in terms of gas.

“We do see issues with energy in terms of pricing certainly, as we move into the autumn and supply in terms of the broader European experience, but so it’s a watching brief where we’re part of those discussions in terms of what the Commission is doing right now.

“But the International Energy Agency also said we need to have sufficient storage in place for the winter, across Europe. Now they’re talking very much in the context of some member states that are very, very heavily reliant on Russian gas.

“We are not at all as reliant on Russian gas. But what we have overall concerns of is if the overall supply levels reduce that has real consequences for cost and the price of energy,” he said. 

Emergency meeting

EU member states will discuss the measures at an emergency meeting of energy ministers next Tuesday.

For these measures to be approved, member states would have to consider yielding their powers over energy policy to Brussels.

Wednesday’s proposal comes at a time when a blog post from the International Monetary Fund has warned about the power Russian President Vladimir Putin could wield by weaponising energy exports and choking off the 27-nation bloc.

“The partial shut-off of gas deliveries is already affecting European growth, and a full shutdown could be substantially more severe,” the IMFBlog warned.

It added that gross domestic product in member nations like Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic could shrink by up to 6%.

Italy, a country already facing serious economic problems, “would also face significant impacts”.

belgium-eu-russia-ukraine-gas European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, speaks with European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders, left, and European Commissioner for Promoting our European Way of Life Margaritas Schinas during the weekly College of Commissioners meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels. Virginia Mayo Virginia Mayo

EU economic forecasts last week showed that Russia’s war in Ukraine is expected to wreak havoc with economic recovery for the foreseeable future, with lower annual growth and record-high inflation.

The disruptions in Russian energy trade threaten to trigger a recession in the bloc just as it is recovering from a pandemic-induced slump.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the EU has approved bans on Russian coal and most oil to take effect later this year, but it did not include natural gas because the 27-nation bloc depends on gas to power factories, generate electricity and heat homes.

Now, it fears Mr Putin will cut off gas anyway to try to wreak economic and political havoc in Europe this winter.

Such threats have forced the bloc’s head office to make a plan centred on energy cuts and savings that might make for a much colder winter, but one without massive disruptions.

“We have to be proactive. We have to prepare for a potential full disruption of Russian gas. And this is a likely scenario. That’s what we’ve seen in the past,” Ms von der Leyen said.

Essential industries

The aim is to ensure essential industries and services like hospitals keep functioning, while others would have to cut back.

That could include lowering heat in public buildings and enticing families to use less energy at home.

“Assuming there is a full disruption of Russian gas, we need to save gas, to fill our gas storage faster, and to do so we have to reduce our gas consumption. I know this is a big ask,” Ms von der Leyen said.

EU nations and the Commission have gone on a buying spree to diversify their natural gas sources away from Russia, but they are still expected to fall far short of providing businesses and homes with enough energy in the cold months.

Even if the EU has enough gas to keep the lights on and factories running right now, it does so at painfully high prices that have fuelled runaway inflation and caused public uproar.

Russia has cut off or reduced gas to some EU countries, and there are fears the energy crisis will get worse if Moscow does not restart a key pipeline to Germany after scheduled maintenance ends on Thursday.

Already, a dozen nations from one day to the next have experienced supply disruptions from Gazprom.

The energy squeeze is also reviving decades-old political challenges for Europe.

While the EU has gained centralised authority over monetary, trade, antitrust and farm policies, national capitals have jealously guarded their powers over energy matters.

The European Commission has spent decades chipping away at this bastion of national sovereignty, using previous supply disruptions to secure gradual gains in EU clout.

The five-month-old Russian invasion of Ukraine is now the starkest test of whether member countries are willing to cede more of their energy powers.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, member states did join in common action to help develop and buy vaccines in massive quantities in an unprecedented show of common resolve in the health sector.

“This is a moment for Europe to build upon the decisive action and solidarity displayed during the pandemic to address the challenging moment it faces today,” the IMFBlog said.

With reporting from Press Association and © AFP, 2022

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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:26 PM

    Europe needs to have a conversation with itself and ask the question..are these self inflicting sanctions punishing Russia having the desired effect?? ..we are sleepwalking into a massive recession under americas guidance through their proxy war with Russia..the world needs to push for peace talks not more weaponry prolonging the inevitable

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    Mute Bri Lyons
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:29 PM

    @Brian Burns: yes appeasement has always worked and brought peace … 1939 is calling

    184
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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:30 PM

    @Brian Burns: What is ‘the inevitable’?

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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:32 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: Russia taking the Donbas region..they are one of the most powerful armies in the world and prolonging this war just means more death and destruction

    107
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    Mute Ciaran
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:58 PM

    @Brian Burns: Russia were very powerful when they were the ussr. Now less powerful. They can’t even take over Ukraine..

    67
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    Mute Rian Lynch
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:12 PM

    @Brian Burns: there is no going back to how it was. russia has shown its perfectly happy weaponising food and energy supplies to the world. if EU climb down on sanctions theres no quarantee tomorrow the gas wont be turned off again

    72
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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:14 PM

    @Brian Burns: proxy war? Putins war….100%

    65
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    Mute CraftyBodger
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:16 PM

    @Brian Burns: Shouldn’t you be pleading with the Russian to stop the invasion if u are concerned about the death and destruction? So much victim blaming going on over a nation trying to defend itself and receiving help from its allies.

    68
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    Mute The next small thing
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:33 PM

    @Brian Burns: probably not having the desired affect but that doesn’t mean we should stop the sanctions. They’ll never have the desired affect when other countries can just buy the discounted fuel (which will further erode our industries as our costs will be a lot higher). We need to go further and stop doing business with countries that are supporting Russia either directly or indirectly. As it is we have asian and African countries supporting Russia and yet we’re either sending aid to these countries or taking in migrants from them. Time to play hardball while we still can as we have no chance if we decide to stick to the rules while everyone else cherry picks what to follow.

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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:35 PM

    @CraftyBodger: vlad not answering his phone

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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:37 PM

    @The next small thing: thank you for replying and actually answering the question

    15
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:48 PM

    @Brian Burns: The choice is an economic war or a military war with Russia. There’s no real third option other than doing nothing and kicking the can down the road until the next time Putin invades another country and we’re faced with the same decision again but with an increasingly weakened Europe.

    36
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    Mute Tomás Barrett
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    Jul 20th 2022, 3:21 PM

    @Brian Burns: they won’t stop at the Donbass.

    28
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    Mute Brian Henoll
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    Jul 20th 2022, 3:30 PM

    @Brian Burns: I had a conversation with myself and agreed that you are talking rubbish.
    The sanctions has not hit Russia just yet, they will soon enough.
    Peace talks, dont make me laugh. Not how you deal with a bully

    26
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jul 21st 2022, 10:11 AM

    @Brian Henoll: I agree – the sanctions most certainly are affecting Russia and we’re already seeing fake accusations online claiming that the sanctions apply to food. They want that business and currency, and they don’t want to take their unfortunate troops from Ukraine.

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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    Jul 21st 2022, 11:06 PM

    @Brian Burns: Well now we know why the prices have gone so high, even If they do reduce the price by 15% these big companies are still on the up big time & still recording record profits.

    1
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    Mute Irish Opinion
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:17 PM

    Self-inflicted madness

    287
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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:21 PM

    @Irish Opinion: Explain?

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    Mute Dennis Laffey
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:22 PM

    @Irish Opinion: yeah can’t believe we invaded Ukraine. Madness eh?!

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    Mute Jim Smith
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    Jul 20th 2022, 5:47 PM

    @Irish Opinion: Russia was the bad guy because the wanted to sell us even more cheap gas (Nord Stream 2). Now they are the bad guy because we are self limiting our purchase of said cheap gas. Blackmail indeed (sigh). Refusing to buy cheap gas that is supplied in a ‘relatively’ eco friendly way isn’t going to force peace in the Ukraine it seems. Should we continue down this rabbit hole of madness?

    22
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    Mute Joe_X
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    Jul 20th 2022, 9:19 PM

    @Jim Smith: You mean how Russia are hoping that we will turn a blind eye to how they are targeting civilians, a war crime, just to save a few bob. Shame to see some people are so easily bought and how willing they are to throw the Ukranians under the bus. This issue is hitting us all, but thankfully the majority of people are still willing to hold the line and stand with Ukraine.

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    Mute Ordinary lad
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:33 PM

    In the end, after inevitable Russian victory, the people in the EU will say we went through all of that, for what? There will be nothing to show for it at the end, absolutely nothing.

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    Mute Ronnie Mhelan
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:11 PM

    @Ordinary lad: inevitable victory? You haven’t been following have you? They’ve completely s!#t the bed militarily wise.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:16 PM

    @Ordinary lad: So sit back and let putin do his thing….what do you think would be his next special military operation….and the next….

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    Mute Ronnie Mhelan
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:20 PM

    @Ordinary lad: also just out of curiosity, what did you have to go through? Would it be comparable to having your wife and kids murdered by Russian savages?

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    Mute JedBartlett
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:37 PM

    @Paul Furey: “ what do you think would be his next special military operation….and the next….”, well he’d be rolling Russian tanks up Baggott street obviously.

    People need to let go of the hysteria, Russia are struggling in Ukraine, never mind the idea they could invade the rest of Europe.

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    Mute Rochelle
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:51 PM

    @Ordinary lad: We’ve achieved in showing European unity and a great deterrent to future tyrants considering an invasion on a neighbour.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jul 20th 2022, 3:02 PM

    @JedBartlett: ” to let go of the hysteria” you seem to be the one being hysterical. Its about doing the right thing, of which part is to keep supplying Ukraine with military, financial, economical and all other aid possible – while sanctioning Russia to the fullest. This is why Russia is struggling in Ukraine. You always seem to want to twist things.

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    Mute JedBartlett
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    Jul 20th 2022, 3:16 PM

    @Paul Furey: “ keep supplying Ukraine with military, financial, economical and all other aid possible – while sanctioning Russia to the fullest.”

    The invasion began in February. Between February and April the EU spent 35 billion in Russian energy while only giving 1 billion to Ukraine in foreign aid. I haven’t got recent figures but as you can see the EU is part funding the Russian invasion.

    21
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    Mute Deano Antonio de Fáoite
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    Jul 20th 2022, 5:05 PM

    @Paul Furey: we already sit back and watch the Saudis and Israel do, why are we only upset when the victims are Caucasian?!!!

    26
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    Mute Jim Smith
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    Jul 20th 2022, 5:51 PM

    @Paul Furey: ‘The right thing’ is leading to the deaths of thousands upon thousands of Ukrainian men. Time will tell if it was ‘worth it’ and the government gets all of its land back.

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    Mute Rian Lynch
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    Jul 20th 2022, 7:43 PM

    @Deano Antonio de Fáoite: yeah because those are the only two conflicts in the world at the moment. why dont they count?

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    Mute Joe_X
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    Jul 20th 2022, 9:21 PM

    @Ordinary lad: that you Vlad?

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    Mute Maurice O Neill
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:28 PM

    And the EU still think that they can live without Russian Gas

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    Mute Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:29 PM

    Europe self-inflicted madness, as the first commenter says.
    Russia is fighting back against western sanctions by restricting the supply of gas to Europe. The prospect of a total cut-off of Russian gas is causing near panic in Europe, and America is laughing in the background as it has displaced Russia as the world’s leading exporter of energy.

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    Mute Rian Lynch
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    Jul 20th 2022, 3:42 PM

    @Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown: thought russia was fighting ukraine ?

    22
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    Mute Joe_X
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    Jul 20th 2022, 9:26 PM

    @Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown: Very short memory there, Doc. Maybe take a lil trip in that De Lorien of yours back 6 months or so and revisit who took the first action…..pretty sure it was Russia fired the first shop…..let us know when you get back.

    7
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    Mute Ryan O'hUallachain
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    Jul 20th 2022, 1:46 PM

    EU blackmail vs. Russian blackmail

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    Mute Rian Lynch
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    Jul 20th 2022, 3:41 PM

    @Ryan O’hUallachain: you forgot to say in thr face of russian invasion

    13
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    Mute Patrick FitzGerald
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    Jul 20th 2022, 4:29 PM

    I understand as much as anyone why this might be necessary, but what infuriates me is how predictable the procedure for this will be: industry and commerce will be protected first and foremost, and when push comes to shove the larger countries will make far fewer sacrifices than the smaller ones. And in both cases, it’s the quality of life of ordinary citizens which will be sacrificed first.

    This is how the EU’s institutions dealt with the banking crises. It’s how they dealt with the Euro crisis. It’s how they are currently intent on dealing with the climate crisis. It was in a large part how they dealt with the covid crisis.

    At every turn, it’s the ordinary citizen who is asked to shoulder the largest burden, while the ‘big boys’ continue to, for example, jet all over the continent flying first class – climate, covid, or energy crises be damned. That’s just one of many examples.

    Nobody would argue that crises don’t have to be dealt with in often painful ways, but the neoliberal attitude to addressing them, displayed by both the EU itself and many of its governments during the last decade or so, has been to say “you ordinary people and your determination and resolve and hardiness can shoulder this burden and get us out of this. And us VIPs, well, you simply can’t ask us to join you in that. Because, reasons. Something something systemic, something something stability, etc etc etc”.

    I for one am utterly tired of living in this kind of society. It’s aristocracy 2.0 by however many other names one feels like dressing it up. Has been since the 2008 meltdown – has been since long before this of course, but such inequality only becomes truly apparent not when the ship is afloat, but when the ship is sinking and there aren’t enough lifeboats.

    This is not an anti-EU rant either. The EU’s institutions and those of domestic governments share this appalling outlook, they’re as bad as eachother. It is, as usual, those in high places versus more or less everybody else.

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    Mute Max Power
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:14 PM

    There won’t be much hassle in cutting 15% of gas that we won’t have! Russia looks like they going to freeze us in to submission this winter…. They stop the gas to make us kiss their a$$ ….. We will be begging them for gas next winter .

    54
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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:18 PM

    @Max Power: we won’t freeze nor will we beg.

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    Mute JedBartlett
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    Jul 20th 2022, 2:37 PM

    @Paul Furey: You must have a load of turf ordered so, Paul?

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jul 20th 2022, 3:04 PM

    @JedBartlett: no! Just not being hysterical….as you are.

    18
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    Mute JedBartlett
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    Jul 20th 2022, 3:44 PM

    @Paul Furey: If I’m being hysterical, you’re being naïve. Governments all over Europe are putting in place crisis plans for a winter with far less gas than normal. Germany is turning COVID testing centres into heat centres for local populations. Less gas has major knock on effects including food shortages.

    We ourselves have put a crisis plan in place for fuel shortages.

    Peoples home heating bills will have raised by more than 70% and could exceed 100% on last winters bills.

    You might not be so blasé a couple of months into a harsh winter.

    34
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    Mute Max Power
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    Jul 20th 2022, 6:03 PM

    @Paul Furey: I hope you are right….. Where will the gas be sourced that is needed to keep the country going when the Russians stop the flow?

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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Jul 21st 2022, 9:02 AM

    @JedBartlett: stop buying into media manipulation listen to yourself…ten days scheduled maintenance is finished gas is now pumping again everything said and printed in between was hysterical nonsense

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    Mute Tony F
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    Jul 20th 2022, 6:28 PM

    Too late. Russia holds all the cards. Prepare for extremely high energy prices this winter. Europe will be forced to come to an agreement with Russia or face a severe recession.

    25
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    Mute Rian Lynch
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    Jul 20th 2022, 7:48 PM

    @Tony F: russia is playing the only card it has. its economy is going to collapse if they dont sell their gas. its a waiting game ti see who cracks first. but it has shown that long term eurooe has to diversify its energy suppliers as russia cannot be trusted to supply

    10
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    Mute Niall O'Reilly
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    Jul 20th 2022, 3:28 PM

    If you haven’t yet insulated your home now would be a good time to do so. Also buy a hot water bottle or get a partner who can keep you extra warm during those dark chilly winter nights. A good eiderdown duvet or an electric blanket might also do the trick.

    26
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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Jul 20th 2022, 4:16 PM

    @Niall O’Reilly: they are out of hot water bottles at the local shop and yer one behind the counter won’t sell me a partner

    33
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    Mute Niall O'Reilly
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    Jul 20th 2022, 6:42 PM

    @Brian Burns: use your charm to get your partner for free!

    6
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    Mute Mark Meehan
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    Jul 20th 2022, 10:53 PM

    Start drilling!
    Or stick to “don’t drill in our own back yard” policy.
    We are all happy to use oil & gas but don’t want to produce our own or explore onshore.

    7
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