New EU laws to boost Irish jobs in clean technologies – Andrews

An ambitious new plan to turn-around Europe’s dependency on energy imports, invest in clean technologies and create high-quality jobs, has been passed in the European Parliament today.

According to Dublin MEP Barry Andrews, the Net Zero Act will make it easier for the Irish government and Irish companies to invest in clean technologies, like wind power, heat pumps, electric vehicles and carbon capture.

“The EU is far too dependent on imports for many net-zero technologies.  This is a very precarious position for us to be in. The Covid 19 pandemic and the energy crisis driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine showed us that an over-reliance on imports harms Europe’s competitiveness and ultimately hits our citizens in the pocket.

“Europe has also been missing a trick by letting China lead the way on clean technologies - a rapidly expanding global industry.  One quarter of all electric cars and batteries in the EU are important from China. Currently, China accounts for 90% of global investment in net zero technologies.  The global market in these technologies is expected to be worth €600 billion by 2030.

“This new plan, passed at the European Parliament today, is a win-win for Ireland and Europe. It gives us the power to bring more high-quality technology jobs to Ireland, while also significantly improving our ability to meet emissions targets.  It gives us the power to position ourselves as leading producers of cutting-edge green technologies – an industry that is only on the up.

“Ireland has been at the cutting-edge of the digital revolution, with 16 of the top 20 digital companies based across our island. Last year, the tech sector employed over 123,000 people in Ireland. We now have a chance to replicate this success with the green transition.  This new Act opens the door to Ireland positioning itself as a leading producer of cutting-edge technologies like wind power, heat pumps and carbon capture.  We can, and should, attract these companies to Ireland.

“As we face huge competition from the US and China for the jobs of the future, the Net Zero Industry Act will be key for Ireland’s future prosperity.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

The vote on the Net Zero Act passed at the European Parliament in Strasbourg this afternoon - 361 votes in favour, 121 against.

Further information on the Net Zero Act can be found here:: Net-Zero Industry Act (europa.eu)