Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 January 2024
120. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline the membership of the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce (OWDT); the number and dates of meetings held by the taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3350/24]
View answerI established the cross-Departmental Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce in April 2022 in order to accelerate and drive cross-Government delivery of offshore wind, while maximising the economic and social benefits to Ireland.
The Taskforce is chaired by my Department and its membership comprises senior officials from the Government Departments and Agencies with offshore wind related actions under the Climate Action Plan. The member organisations are:
• the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications;
• the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage;
• the Department of Transport;
• the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment;
• the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science;
• the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform;
• the Department of Rural and Community Development;
• Enterprise Ireland;
• the Commission for Regulation of Utilities;
• EirGrid;
• the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority;
• the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; and
• the Marine Institute.
• Both the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, and the Department of Defence attend taskforce meetings as observers.
• The Taskforce has met twelve times since its establishment, on the below dates:
• 28 April 2022;
• 5 May 2022;
• 18 July 2022;
• 5 September 2022;
• 17 October 2022;
• 28 November 2022;
• 24 January 2023;
• 30 March 2023;
• 29 May 2023;
• 13 July 2023;
• 5 October 2023; and
• 14 December 2023.
In addition, since June 2023, the Taskforce has held sessions with the offshore wind industry, represented by Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) and Marine Renewables Industry Association (MRIA) in order to exchange updates on the latest policy and industry developments. These sessions have taken place on:
• 29 June 2023;
• 31 August 2023; and
• 9 November 2023
Further information on the Taskforce, including minutes of meetings held is available on gov.ie.
