Bill to end Ireland's nuclear power ban cleared for Dáil debate

If enacted, the bill would remove the legal prohibitions that currently prevent nuclear fission from being used to generate electricity in Ireland, repealing part of the 1999 Electricity Regulation Act 1999. The proposed legislation would also repeal parts of the Planning and Development Acts, which prohibit the authorisation of such developments.

The current planning restriction is explicit. Section 182 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 provides that nothing in that Act enables authorisation of an installation for electricity generation by nuclear fission.

The proposal would also create definitions and a regulatory structure. It would include a definition of a "nuclear power plant" and "nuclear reactor", as well as providing a "clear regulatory role" for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.

Under the proposal, that regulator would consult with the Environmental Protection Agency and advise the minister on nuclear power plants, including on safety, the management of waste and decommissioning.

All research, planning and use of nuclear energy was banned in 1999 by Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats. Concerns arose at the time around the safety of the energy source, particularly after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, as well as the cost of developing a plant in Ireland.

O'Connor has argued that nuclear technology has evolved since then. He pointed to small modular reactors, saying they are cheaper to build, negate the need for a large-scale plant, and are considered vastly safer to the public.

Despite the ban, energy purchased from countries, such as France, and investments in interconnectors to provide that power, often come from nuclear sources and plants. The ban, however, has long been considered excessive over its prohibition of all research into nuclear fission for the purposes of energy generation, regardless of any new advances made.

O'Connor said the purpose was to permit debate rather than to approve a specific station. "Ireland cannot credibly plan for secure, affordable, low-carbon electricity while the law rules out an entire proven technology before the debate has even begun," he said.

He added: "This bill doesn’t build a power plant. It removes the legal barrier so that Ireland can have an honest, evidence-based discussion about nuclear energy." At the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting in May, it is understood that Mr O'Connor told colleagues that a conversation on nuclear energy was urgent due to the significant energy costs faced by households and businesses.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin previously said he was "open" to the idea of nuclear energy, but admitted the main obstacle would be the cost. Speaking in Armenia in May, he said: "We’ve made significant progress on renewables, particularly onshore wind and solar, and offshore wind will be a major next step. But we should also look at alternatives, including nuclear, given advances in technology."

Environment Minister Darragh O'Brien backed sending the bill to the Dáil, but said the Government's priority is on the delivery of renewable energy. Junior energy minister Timmy Dooley said: "The reality is that, as things stand today, it is not clear to us that public opinion is in favour of removing those legislative bans on the development of domestic nuclear power plants for electricity," adding that building support would require an extensive conversation with the public.

Céim a bhfuil súil léi: D’fhéadfadh an méid seo athrú.

The next step is scheduling and formal introduction in the Dáil, followed by debate by TDs and committees. Mr O'Connor's Electricity Regulation (Removal of Nuclear Fission Prohibitions) Bill 2026 will be debated in the Dáil within the next six months, for consideration by TDs and committees.

For people in Ireland, nothing changes immediately for electricity supply, prices or planning applications. Even if the Dáil allows debate to proceed, repeal would still require passage through the Oireachtas and detailed rules on safety, waste and decommissioning before any nuclear project could ever be pursued.