Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
148. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the funding and supports that have been provided in each of the past ten years to support the work of an organisation (details supplied) to train offshore islanders on the conservation and generation of renewable energy; and his policy to continue this work. [23818/21]
View answerLast year, Ireland signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Clean Energy for EU Islands Initiative, recognising the important role islands can play in realising the objectives of the European Green Deal. It sets out the objective to establish a long-term framework for cooperation to advance the energy transition for islands. The islands of Ireland have the potential to engage in the clean energy transition by sustainably harnessing local resources and reducing energy dependence on the mainland. Island citizens are at the heart of this transition, bringing tangible benefits such as local job creation, economic activity and lower energy bills. The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is the main government support to help deliver on Ireland’s 70% renewable electricity target by 2030, which is also open to island communities to advance renewable electricity projects. The scheme has a number of community features designed to ensure community participation. Of particular interest to island communities are the provisions of the Community Benefit Fund and the Community-led category. The former provides for all RESS project to share project revenues with local communities for sustainable purposes and the latter provides a route to market for community-led projects. To better support communities in bringing forward community-led projects, an enabling framework is currently under development by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, to which I have allocated €3 million in capital supports this year.
The RESS, and similar previous support schemes, is supported by the Public Service Obligation Levy, which is collected from all electricity customers in Ireland through their energy bills. The proceeds of the levy are used to contribute to the additional costs incurred by PSO-supported electricity generation which are not recovered in the electricity market, typically via contracts that suppliers have in place with electricity generators.
My Department has no records of the organisation you refer to directly receiving financial support from my Department.
