Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar spoke in UN Climate Summit 2019. "We are accepting a recommendation from the Climate Change Advisory Council to end exploration for oil in Irish Waters, but we will continue to allow exploration for natural gas for now, as it is a transition fuel that we’ll need for decades to come," he stated.

The Irish Offshore Operators’ Association stated that it would seek more clarification about the details of Varadkar's proposed ban. Some of Ireland's most promising offshore prospects are gas fields, and these would remain unaffected. 

Maritime Business World