Minister O'Brien attends 2026 International Energy Agency Ministerial
- Published on: 18 February 2026
- Last updated on: 18 February 2026
Minister will chair high-level event on AI and data centres at cornerstone IEA meeting
The Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O'Brien, will attend the 2026 International Energy Agency (IEA) Ministerial in Paris this week, alongside energy and climate ministers representing more than 40 governments from around the world. The event marks the formal end of Ireland’s role as Chair of the IEA Ministerial, following the successful Co-Chairing of the IEA in 2024, along with France.
The IEA Ministerial is a major multilateral event, and marks one of the final gatherings of global ministers and senior delegates before Ireland formally takes over the Presidency of the Council of the EU in July.
In addition to his representation at the official plenary meeting, Minister O'Brien will chair a Government-Industry Breakout event on the theme of 'Energy and AI'. This follows the publication of Ireland's Large Energy User Action Plan (LEAP) earlier this year, which addresses development barriers impacting large energy users (LEUs) in Ireland.
Speaking in advance of the event, Minister O'Brien said:
"The IEA ministerial meeting is an opportunity for Ireland to remind the world of the commitment we made in 2024 to accelerate the clean energy transition, and decarbonise our energy systems. Two years on from Ireland co-chairing the last IEA Ministerial, the geopolitical context has greatly changed. But the challenges we face remain the same and we must continue to work collectively to unlock investment in clean technologies, deploy critical infrastructure and lower costs for consumers and businesses. These are all themes which Ireland will champion when we take over the presidency of the EU Council later this year."
The IEA is a leading intergovernmental organisation, providing policy recommendations, analysis and data on the global energy sector to its more than 40 member and association countries, including the USA, China and most EU countries.
It is expected that the meeting will also include a strong message of support to Ukraine in the IEA Ministerial outcomes. This follows the recent announcement of Ireland's approval of €25 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund (UESF) to provide support for Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure.
ENDS
Notes to the Editor
International Energy Agency (IEA)
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is at the heart of global dialogue on energy, providing authoritative analysis, data, policy recommendations, and real-world solutions to help countries provide secure and sustainable energy for all. The IEA was created in 1974 to help coordinate a collective response to major disruptions in the supply of oil. While oil security remains a key aspect of their work, the IEA has evolved and expanded significantly since its foundation.
Since 2015, the IEA has opened its doors to major emerging countries to expand its global impact, and deepen cooperation in energy security, data and statistics, energy policy analysis, energy efficiency, and the growing use of clean energy technologies.