The European Union yesterday urged Ireland to establish a strategic gas reserve after a survey found that it was one of only three states that does not store gas to provide for emergencies.
The survey, which was prepared by the current EU president, Austria, shows that only the Republic, Finland and Sweden do not currently store natural gas.
Austria has the biggest gas storage capacity of the 13 EU states surveyed, amounting to 32 per cent of the state's annual consumption of natural gas or about two months of winter supply.
Austrian energy minister Martin Bartenstein said it made sense for net importers of natural gas, including Ireland, to set up a strategic gas reserve in light of the recent dispute between Ukraine and Russia. The dispute led to severe disruption of gas supplies to several EU states and put some industrial users at risk of shortages.
"We saw a development that we had not seen for more than 40 years. It was a surprise," said Mr Bartenstein. "We have to run an energy policy that will make us prepared for this type of event occurring a second time."
A spokeswoman for the Minister of Natural Resources Noel Dempsey confirmed there was no strategic gas reserve in Ireland.
However, it is likely that this measure will form part of the Government's ongoing review of the Irish energy sector.
The average gas storage capacity among the EU states surveyed was 14 per cent of annual requirements.
Natural gas accounts for a quarter of total energy consumed in the Republic and much of it is imported, leaving Ireland vulnerable in any future supply crisis.
Mr Bartenstein said the recent Ukraine/Russian dispute had at least opened the eyes of people responsible for energy across the EU who had previously opposed further EU involvement in the sector.
The European Commission is preparing a green paper on energy for publication before a summit of European leaders in March.
It hopes that member states will agree to establish a two-month strategic gas storage supply administered by the EU.
A similar EU proposal on gas reserves was rejected by member states in 2004. But some states, including Britain, who opposed this measure, have performed a U-turn.
At a summit in October last year, British prime minister Tony Blair called for the creation of an EU energy market reversing his government's previous policy.
