Dublin MEP Ciarán Cuffe has won the Energy, Industry, & Research Award at the annual MEP Awards hosted by The Parliament Magazine. The award recognises MEP Cuffe’s contributions to and accomplishments in energy and supporting the green transition, as well as the promotion of research and innovation.MEP Cuffe is an active member of the Parliament’s energy committee (ITRE) and he is lead negotiator for a new energy law called the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, or the ‘EPBD’. Over the last year, MEP Cuffe has spearheaded efforts on this committee to develop a robust and long-lasting response to the energy crisis that brings down bills and protects people living in energy poverty, while reducing emissions.

MEP Cuffe said: “I am very humbled to receive this award in recognition of my work on the energy committee, where I have been pushing for more clean and affordable energy for people living across Europe since the beginning of my term in 2019.

“Energy has been front of mind not only for politicians, but for many families and businesses in Dublin and in cities across Europe over the last year. We need to protect people against high bills next winter and in the winters to come, and this is particularly important for cities like Dublin where the cost of living is already so high. Ambitious renovation policies that are well-funded, that target the buildings that waste the most energy, and that protect people living in energy poverty, can help bring down energy bills. These are my highest priorities as chief negotiator for the new buildings law and as a member of the energy committee. We can already see the benefits of energy efficient renovations at St Bricin’s Park in Arbour Hill, and I’d like to see the same benefits extended to households across our city.”

MEP Cuffe also highlighted the role of the energy committee in promoting more renewables, and what this means for Dublin:

“Just this morning, we passed a deal in the energy committee on the Renewable Energy Directive. Under this law, renewables should make up 42.5% of the energy we use in the EU by 2030, and it will also speed up the approval process for new renewable energy projects. This is important for Ireland, because we have a big role to play in Europe’s renewable future. The Réalt na Mara offshore wind farm, planned for off the coast of South Dublin, is just one example of a flagship project that will contribute to this. This project alone could generate up to 1.6 GW of electricity – enough to power 1.5 million Irish homes. We need to create the conditions for projects like these to thrive, and for even more to come on board, and the energy committee has a big role to play in that space.”

Fellow Dublin MEP Barry Andrews was also presented with the Defence, Security, and Space Award. A total of 11 MEPs were awarded during the ceremony in Brussels. The full list of winners can be found on The Parliament Magazine website here.