BUILDING LARGE-SCALE LNG (liquified natural gas) infrastructure “at the same time that people in Canada are dropping dead from the heat… in my mind would be a contradiction in terms,” Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said today.

Record temperatures have been reached in Canada this week, with the village of Lytton in the interior of southern British Columbia hitting a new all-time high temperature for Canada, reaching 46.1C.

Speaking at the government’s launch of the National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF), which outlines a vision for how we want to use, protect and enjoy our seas in the years up to 2040, Ryan was asked why there was a mention of LNG terminals in the report.

LNG terminals work by importing natural gas in a liquefied state at an extremely low temperature – making it easier to transport – and then turning it back into gas for use in a new market.

A policy statement released by Ryan last month set out that “it would not be appropriate to permit or proceed with development of any LNG terminals in Ireland, including the Shannon LNG project”.

He said this position was pending a review of the security of energy supply for Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems.

Today, Ryan said he does not want to see any LNG projects approved by An Bord Pleanala impending the final outcome of the energy review, which his own department is carrying out.

He acknowledged that gas will be used as an interim energy supply, but he said the world was moving to renewables rather than gas infrastructure.

“No country that is serious about climate change can start investing in gas infrastructure that will be there in 30 or 40 years,” he said.