The National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF), formally established on 21 May 2021, is the long-term forward planning component of the new marine planning system, which establishes a coherent and integrated way in which to manage and plan for the sustainable development within our extensive Maritime Area, and includes eleven Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) marine planning policies to support Government's vision and objectives for ORE.
The Maritime Area Planning (MAP) Bill, which is currently at Committee Stage in the Dáil, establishes a new development management system for the maritime area to replace the current regime, as operated under the Foreshore Act 1933, with a new fit-for purpose marine planning system.
The MAP Bill is the State’s leading response to the much needed reform of marine governance and a key enabler of Ireland’s decarbonisation goals and as such, Government is committed to prioritising the passage of a balanced and Aarhus-compliant MAP Bill through the Oireachtas. Development of the MAP Bill is being led by my Department, working closely with my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and his officials, providing input on provisions specific to ORE.
The MAP Bill envisages a system that is designed to work for all types of development – from the smallest structures to the largest ORE proposal – and will balance harnessing our huge offshore wind potential and maximising the potential of our seas with protecting our rich and unique marine environment. The Bill will provide for a completely new governance regime for the entire Maritime Area underpinned by the NMPF. The main features of the new regime comprise:
- Forward planning through the National Marine Planning Framework, including comprehensive sub national planning,
- Development management through a sequenced consenting system that:
- replaces foreshore consents with streamlined Maritime Area Consents (MACs) – a single state consent to enable the occupation of the maritime area and act as a gateway to the planning system;
- extends the existing planning permission regime into the entire maritime area; and
- provides for licensing of certain activities.
- Robust enforcement provisions to ensure the lawful use of the maritime area.
- This new marine planning system will incorporate consenting for the occupation of the maritime area (Maritime Area Consents, or MACs) by a new agency, the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA), and a new planning consenting regime, to be implemented by coastal local authorities and An Bord Pleanála.
The enactment of the MAP Bill will provide a modern, up-to-date regulatory framework that will enable ORE developments beyond the limits of the current foreshore regime. It is intended that this important Bill be enacted in this Dáil term.
Ireland’s increased climate and energy ambition is reflected in the Government target to achieve 5GW of installed offshore wind generation by 2030. There is a further commitment in the Programme for Government to develop a longer-term plan to utilise the potential 30GW of offshore floating wind power in our Atlantic waters. The 5GW target will be primarily met through development of ORE in Ireland’s eastern and southern coastal regions. This reflects the suitability of water depths in these regions for deployment of conventional fixed bottom offshore wind turbines and existing electricity grid infrastructure to connect these projects to the onshore grid. Subsequent cost-effective deployment of renewables in deeper waters off the west coast, to take advantage of stronger and more consistent wind speeds, should be increasingly feasible through future advances in floating turbine technology.
Given that the new agency, the MARA, will take time to establish and become operational, a decision has been taken and is reflected under the draft legislation, to enable the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to invite and grant MAC applications from projects satisfying the definition of “relevant maritime usage” under the Transition Protocol. It is proposed that the Minister will be enabled to invite applications from those projects during a specified period in advance of the establishment of MARA. The timing for this is dependent on the legislative process. Once established, the MARA will assume responsibility for any MACs granted by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. These projects will be required to apply for all of the requisite consents under the Bill and will be subject to the full assessment procedures by An Bord Pleanála in the context of the planning permission application.
Work on a revised Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) has also been initiated by my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. This will provide an evidence base for the identification of areas most suitable for the sustainable development of wind, wave, and tidal technologies, and will include an assessment of other maritime activities and marine biodiversity. The OREDP, in tandem with a planned economic analysis, will set out the path-way for the development of offshore renewable energy beyond 2030.
The Department of Environment, Climate and Communications is currently developing terms and conditions for offshore wind-specific auctions under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). Owing to the specific scale and nature of typical offshore wind farms, dedicated auctions are initially required to support the longer-term potential of this technology in Ireland. A public consultation on the draft terms and conditions for RESS 1 auctions is now underway. The closing date for submissions is 6 December.
