Industry leaders, legal experts, and policymakers in the energy sector in Ireland are set to gather in Cork next month for the annual Future of Energy Investment in Ireland conference. This highly anticipated event, hosted by business law firm Mason Hayes & Curran, will be held in Cork for the first time and is run in association with the Irish Examiner. The conference will feature a lineup of esteemed keynote speakers, including Finance Minister Michael McGrath and Simon Mundy of the Financial Times, who is also the author of Race for Tomorrow: Survival, Innovation and Profit on the Front Lines of the Climate Crisis.
Cork, with its strategic geographical location and well-established cluster of energy infrastructure, businesses, and research facilities, is a significant hub for energy investment in Ireland. Eoin Cassidy, partner and head of the energy team at Mason Hayes & Curran, emphasized the importance of Cork in the energy sector, stating, “The region is home to a wide range of renewable energy initiatives, from wind farms to solar energy projects and bioenergy plants, and has a thriving culture of innovation, research, and development. We look forward to welcoming stakeholders from across the energy sector and exploring how we can work together to achieve Ireland’s energy transition goals.”
The conference aims to bring together industry leaders, legal experts, and policymakers to discuss and address the current challenges and opportunities in the energy sector. Notable figures such as broadcaster Jonathan Healy, who will serve as the event MC, and Irish Examiner business reporter Cáit Caden, who will chair a panel on foreign direct investment in Ireland’s energy sector, will be present.
One of the key topics of discussion will be Ireland’s energy infrastructure deficit, which will be addressed by Port of Cork chairman Michael Walsh. Other notable speakers include Gillian Kinsella, senior policy manager at Bord Gáis Energy; Paul Lennon, head of offshore wind, hydrogen, and long-term storage at ESB; and Des Cox, planning and environmental lead at EirGrid.
In addition to discussions led by industry leaders, legal experts will also provide insights into the status of Ireland’s energy transition. The conference is scheduled to take place at The Clayton Hotel in Cork City on September 14, from 10.30am to 3pm. Further details can be found at www.mhc.ie/Energy23.
