Minister O'Brien and UK Minister McCarthy announce extension to energy cooperation agreement
- Published on: 14 July 2025
- Last updated on: 14 July 2025
The Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien and UK Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy, from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, have today signed an extension to an existing energy Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will see increased cooperation between both countries in the energy transition.
The extension builds on a MoU signed by both countries in 2023 – on Cooperation in the Energy Transition, Offshore Renewables and Electricity Interconnection'. Since its signing in 2023, the MoU has facilitated increased cooperation between Ireland and the UK on specific areas within the wider energy transition. It has also led to several working group meetings between UK and Ireland policy officials, as well as their respective Ministers, on energy cooperation and information sharing.
The new additional areas of cooperation stem from discussions held at the inaugural UK-Ireland Summit held last March, where a wide-ranging programme of new and enhanced strategic cooperation between Ireland and the UK was agreed.
The new extension will see cooperation and information sharing in following additional areas:
- respective approaches to decarbonising industries, including measures to ensure the competitiveness of businesses, and reducing the risk of carbon leakage
- decarbonisation of buildings, including focus on the just transition to cleaner forms of heating and improved energy efficiency, to deliver warm homes and maintain energy affordability for households and businesses
- consideration between the participants and relevant stakeholders of how best to ensure communities benefit from the installation of energy infrastructure
- hydrogen transmission and storage infrastructure, building on the existing cooperation across the islands in the development of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen value chains
Following the signing, both Minister O'Brien and Minister McCarthy held a meeting in Dublin to discuss wider energy-related ambitions, with energy affordability one of the items top of their discussion agenda.
Welcoming the announcement of the MoU extension, Minister O'Brien said:
"The UK is one of our most important energy partners and there is already good cooperation on energy between both countries. Since the signing of our energy agreement with the UK in 2023, we have strengthened our energy partnerships on critical areas within the energy transition. I am particularly delighted that we will now bring our cooperation to additional areas of importance.
"Renewed collaboration with our UK neighbours takes place against the backdrop of a changing and uncertain world. Energy markets are currently operating in an increasingly complex world as they continue to grapple with the Russia-Ukraine war, and the crisis in the Middle East, and persistent high inflation. This agreement also comes amid a series of recent climate warnings, with the latest warning noting how western Europe experienced its hottest June on record. The decarbonisation of our energy systems and the move away from fossil fuels has never been more important."
UK Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy said:
"As one of our closest neighbours and allies, Ireland shares common goals with the UK on the need to secure clean, homegrown energy and to end our reliance on unstable fossil fuel markets.
"Today's agreement demonstrates the continued strength of our relationship on energy and climate. We are delighted to stand with Ireland as a climate leader, to protect future generations and deliver growth and energy security for the British and Irish people."
Notes
Ireland-UK Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation
On 11 September 2023, Ireland and the UK signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation.
The first MoU – on 'Cooperation in the Energy Transition, Offshore Renewables and Electricity Interconnection' – facilitates increased information sharing between Ireland and the UK on the transition to renewables and deployment of onshore and offshore renewable energy, including renewable and low carbon hydrogen. Importantly, this MoU also facilitates increased cooperation specifically focused on exploring opportunities for further electrical interconnection between the island of Ireland and Great Britain.
The second MoU – on 'Cooperation for Natural Gas Security of Supply' – highlights the increasingly constructive energy relationship between Ireland and the UK. The purpose of this MoU is to strengthen established practices and cooperation between the two States and relevant departments on the issue of security of natural gas supply. It outlines how the two States will engage together in the event of a reduction or disruption of supply.