The ESB unions have this evening called for a meeting with the Minister for Communications and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey, following the announcement of Government plans to remove control of electricity transmission from the ESB.
Progressive Democrats energy spokeswoman, Fiona O'Malley praised the Government's aim to reduce energy costs to consumers, published in today's white paper on energy and called on the ESB unions to co-operate with the Government's plans.
She said the Government's plans to remove control of electricity transmission from the ESB monopoly to Eirgrid and to establish a land bank of sites suitable for power stations would encourage new market entrants and thereby reduce energy prices for consumers.
However, displeased with the announcement, the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union is now seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Energy Noel Dempsey, to discuss the potential break-up of the ESB.
Labour party energy spokesperson Tommy Broughan said: "The Labour Party and myself are totally opposed to any break-up of the ESB or the atomisation of the company and its core grid and generation assets. The proposal to remove the transmission system from the ESB is unnecessary for competition and threatens the long-term national interest and energy security of the Irish people."
Meanwhile, business group Ibec has given a cautious welcome to the new energy plans outlined in the Government's white paper on energy today.
The group said the white paper set a welcome framework for the delivery of a secure, competitive and environmentally sound energy supply, but was concerned that today's announcement should not be a "vague expression of intent".
Danny McCoy, Ibec director of policy warned the Government that today's promises would only be credible once it became clear how the targets and objectives would be delivered cost effectively and in a reasonable timeframe.
The Government today guaranteed that one-third of electricity comsumption in Ireland will come from renewable sources in 13 years' time and promised increased security of energy supply and a reduction of costs to the consumer by 2020.
Mr McCoy said Ibec would monitor the Government's progress closely to ensure delivery of the these targets.
Fine Gael, however, rejected the Government's energy announcement as a "death bed conversion to environmental issues".
Environment spokesman, Fergus O'Dowd said it was a "cynical and transparent" move coming from the "least green government in the history of the State" and driven by the upcoming election.
Mr O'Dowd said the Government had neglected the environment during its last 10 years of power and claimed under the Fianna Fail and PD coalition Ireland had failed on Kyoto targets, was taken to the Court of Justice by the European Commission over the condition of waste treatment facilities in the country and consistently came bottom of EU league tables on recycling.
The Green Party said the Government's promises failed to deliver on the commitments given in Brussels last week to generate 20 per cent of Irish energy by renewable sources by 2020. Deputy Ryan said energy was used in three ways in Ireland - for electricity, for heating and for transport.
"While today's paper does set a target for green electricity it has no firm commitments in the area of heating or transport," he said.
The Green party welcomed the promise to transfer of the transmission grid assets to Eirgrid, but said it regreted the Government had "failed to put in place any support system for offshore wind, wave or tidal power supplies".
Mr Ryan said today's white paper was "long on rhetoric but short on substance" and a new, honest government was needed to detail specific measures to attain the energy reductions required in Ireland.