Fossil fuel firms use images of Katie Taylor and Ronan O'Gara in push for drilling

Taylor's Olympic gold medal win, O'Gara's last-minute Grand Slam winner in 2009, and Brady's goal against Italy in the 2016 European Championships are all featured.

But they have not been asked if their images can be used or if they are happy being linked to the controversial issue of fossil fuel exploration.

An IOOA spokesperson said: "Sportspeople were not asked", but defended the use of the images. "The clips are ones already widely used across social media."

Packie Bonner's Italia 90 penalty save and former US President Barack Obama's 'Is Féidir Linn' speech in Dublin in 2011 are also featured.

The clips are accompanied by messages praising Irish determination and resilience and by the hashtags #BestOfIrish and the Covid-19 slogan #AllInThisTogether.

The tweets are alternated with segments from a PwC report setting out the value of offshore operators in terms of jobs and revenue generation.

A report warning of gas shortages in Australia is also prominently used, along with extracts from a speech by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last October in which he warned of supply black-outs.

The campaign began last November after Mr Varadkar announced a moratorium on new oil exploration, but it has ramped up in the past two weeks as it became clear the Green Party was being targeted for government formation talks.

The Greens, who are insisting on a 7pc annual reduction in carbon emissions, want the exploration ban extended to gas, and Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have said they are open to discussion on that point.

The IOOA is adamant that new gas fields must be found and used, warning that gas provides the bulk of the country's energy needs and the Corrib pipeline has only about 10 years' supply left.

It says there is not enough time to get sufficient offshore wind infrastructure in place and will leave Ireland reliant on imported gas and "at the mercy of global uncertainty and foreign powers to dictate price and supply".

"Even if all government commitments on renewables are met, Ireland will need gas as a transition fuel for decades to come," the spokesperson said.

A new gas field would provide valuable jobs and revenue for local communities along the west coast, the IOOA said, adding: "We should all be concerned about any decision to thwart that effort."

IOOA members include Irish companies such as Providence and multinationals such as ExxonMobil and the Chinese-owned CNOOC.

Climate Action Minister Richard Bruton announced late last year that an independent energy security review would be carried out this year to identify any weak spots in the country's supply but it has been slow to get under way.

Meanwhile, Ireland's poor record on carbon emissions means the country has to dramatically reduce its use of fossil fuels over the coming decade.