Energy

Ireland among highest gas consumers in EU last winter

Failure to reduce usage blamed on very high gas demand for electricity production due to low wind power generation

Ireland managed the lowest level of gas reduction in the EU bloc last winter – though both Malta and Slovakia actually increased their gas use. Picture: Getty/iStockphoto

Ireland was one of the worst performers in the European Union for reducing gas demand over the winter in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to figures published by Eurostat.

While EU members reduced their gas use by an average of 19 per cent between August 2022 and January 2023 compared with the average gas consumption for the same months in the previous five years, Ireland reduced its gas use by only 0.3 per ...