TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said Ireland should “consider seriously” the use of nuclear energy.
Martin made the remarks as he addressed reporters at a European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Armenia, where around 50 European leaders are meeting to discuss energy security, economic resilience and geopolitical stability.
Asked by reporters whether nuclear power should form part of Ireland’s long-term energy mix, Martin said the State should “explore all avenues”, pointing to decades of volatility linked to reliance on imported fossil fuels.
“We should examine seriously options like nuclear power,” Martin 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.”
Martin said Ireland’s energy future would be primarily based on renewables, with offshore wind expected to play a central role in the early 2030s, alongside onshore wind and solar.
“After all, we now know that fossil fuels have done extremely serious damage to the world and to the planet in terms of climate change, which we are now witnessing,” Martin added.
His comments come as discussion on nuclear power has intensified within government in recent months.
Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers has called for a policy debate on lifting Ireland’s long-standing prohibition on nuclear fission, while Tánaiste Simon Harris has said he has “no ideological opposition” to exploring the option.
Fianna Fáil TD James O’Connor has also recently published draft legislation aimed at repealing the legal ban on nuclear energy, arguing Ireland should revisit its approach in light of the current energy crisis and international developments.
However, nuclear power remains prohibited under existing legislation, and any change would require a formal reversal of that ban.
The Electricity Regulation (Removal of Nuclear Fission Prohibitions) Bill 2026 has been drafted and submitted to the Oireachtas Bills Office, and will be debated by TDs in the Dáil within the next six months.