Minister O'Brien attends British-Irish Council Energy Ministerial meeting
- Foilsithe: 12 Feabhra 2026
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 12 Feabhra 2026
Decarbonisation, energy security, and affordability are shared challenges across 8 Member Administrations
Minister Darragh O'Brien is today (12 February) attending the British Irish Council Energy Ministerial meeting, hosted by the UK Government in London.
Energy Ministers from across 8 Member Administrations will discuss and review the Energy Work Sector 2022-2025 policy report and its activities across the period, including work undertaken in the areas of Decarbonising Heat; Offshore Renewables; New and Emerging Technologies and Local and Community Energy.
Ministers are also endorsing a new Work Plan for the Energy Work Sector, with a focus on the following key priority areas: Public Acceptance; Just Transition; Supply Chains; and Skills and Peer Reviews.
Speaking at the BIC Ministerial Meeting, Minister O'Brien said:
"I welcome this opportunity to meet colleagues at this British-Irish Council Energy Ministerial. Decarbonisation, energy security, and affordability are shared challenges across these islands, and close cooperation can help all of us move faster and more effectively towards a low-carbon future. Ireland sees real value in using the BIC to share experiences and to align approaches where possible, as we respond collectively to these challenges and seize the opportunities of a low-carbon future across our islands."
Importance of the UK-Ireland energy relationship
In addition to attendance at the Ministerial Meeting, Minister O'Brien is also holding bilateral discussions with the UK’s Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, and Chris Stark, Head of Mission Control for Clean Power. Minister O'Brien and Secretary Miliband are underscoring the importance of the UK-Ireland energy relationship and are committed to developing a new suite of actions to be adopted at the forthcoming UK-Ireland Summit in March.
ENDS
Notes to the Editor
British-Irish Council
The British-Irish Council (BIC) was formally established in December 1999. This followed the reaching of the multi-party agreement in Belfast on 10 April 1998, commonly known as the Belfast Agreement or Good Friday Agreement. This provided for the Council to be set up under Strand 3 (which deals with East-West relations).
The Member Administrations of the British Irish Council are the Northern Ireland Executive; Government of Ireland; UK Government; Scottish Government; Welsh Government; Isle of Man Government; Government of Jersey, and Government of Guernsey.
As set out in the agreement, the Council aims to 'promote the harmonious and mutually beneficial development of the totality of relationships among the peoples of these islands'. It does this through providing a forum where its members can share information and experiences on matters of mutual interest.
A BIC Working Group on Energy was held in Scotland in November 2025.