The Government has announced it won't meet its European 2020 deadline to facilitate Green Energy Export from the Midlands to the UK.

The Department of Energy says given the economic, policy and regulatory complexities involved, delivery by 2020 is not realistic.

Economic analysis shows that renewable energy trading can deliver significant economic benefits to Ireland including major job creation.

The Minister for Energy Pat Rabbitte believes it will still happen sometime in the future, after 2020.

“It simply has not proved possible to conclude an agreement within that time frame that would give the developers sufficient time, in return for major investment and job creation, to meet that deadline.”

“So unfortunately the 2020 deadline won’t be met but it’s inevitable in the future that after 2020 there will be enhanced trade in energy between the two countries,” Minister Rabbitte said.