Ireland had one ofhe highest energy dependence rates in the European Union in 2012, new data from Eurostat shows.

According to the data, Ireland had a dependence rate of 85 per cent in 2012, the fourth highest among the EU 28, behind Malta (100%) and Luxembourg and Cyprus (both 97%).

Denmark on the other hand, was the only net exporter of energy and therefore had a negative dependence rate (-3%).

The five largest energy consumers in 2012 in the EU28 were Germany ( -9.2% compared with 2006); France (-5.3%); the United Kingdom ( -12.2%); Italy (-12.0%); and Spain ( -11.9%). Together these five Member States accounted for 64 per cent of total EU28 energy consumption and for 77 per cent of the reduction in absolute terms between 2006 and 2012.

The five main energy producers in the EU28 in 2012 were France ( 17% of total production in the EU28); Germany ( 16%); the United Kingdom ( 15%); Poland (9%); and the Netherlands ( 8%) which together accounted for 64% of total energy production in the EU28.