Energy

Dan O’Brien: We could find ourselves put over a barrel by Britain in a gas crisis

Ireland depends on Britain for the bulk of our gas supply and we must not assume that in a crunch, Boris Johnson would not hesitate to put Britain first and cut the supply to Ireland

The Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline lies under the Baltic Sea to carry fuel from Russia to Germany. It has emerged as a key issue in the standoff between Russia and Ukraine. Picture: Getty

Normally, in the middle of summer, one can enjoy the long evenings without fretting that the days are already slowly starting to shorten. But this is not a normal year, and next winter threatens to be very different from any in living memory.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has changed many things. Beyond the immediate conflict zone, the impact on democratic Europe’s energy supplies is among the most profound changes.

Energy has been the main driver ...