The committee heard about the Marine Institute’s programme on understanding the issue in Ireland by studying forces at work in the Atlantic Ocean.
During the trip to the ocean energy wave power test site in Spiddal, County Galway, the group saw examples of the use of technology to meet the challenge of sustainable energy production.
The site is operated jointly by the Marine Institute and Sustainable Energy Ireland and forms part of a national programme to encourage the exploitation of renewable sources of energy.
Dr Peter Heffernan, chief executive of the institute, said that the behaviour of the Gulf Stream has a direct impact on Ireland’s weather.
“This is why we’re working with key partners to develop a major flagship initiative to position Ireland as a global leader in the development and use of new technologies to understand and measure the pace and impact of new trends caused by climate change,” he said.
Sustainable Energy Ireland was set up by the government in 2002 as Ireland’s national energy agency which promotes and assists the development of sustainable energy.