Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 December 2021
186. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the arrangements being put in place to ensure proper inclusion of the adjacent coastal communities that will be affected by the offshore wind facilities in the process of development; if the requirement to have an advisory board on such projects with local representation has been considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62601/21]
View answerThe Government considers citizen engagement to be at the heart of Ireland’s energy and climate transformation. Local coastal communities will be central to the decision-making processes of community engagement initiatives as part of Ireland’s offshore renewable energy journey.
The Maritime Area Planning (MAP) Bill, which has been passed by Dáil Éireann and is currently before Seanad Éireann, will enable the realisation of our offshore renewable energy ambition by establishing a well-regulated and inclusive consenting process, with comprehensive environmental assessments and consultative processes to enable meaningful community engagement.
As part of the National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF), the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage established an Advisory Group to facilitate participation in the marine spatial planning process by all relevant stakeholders from the economic, environmental and social pillars including representatives from the County and City Management Association and Association of Irish Local Government. Work on a revised Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP II), which will provide an evidence base for the identification of areas most suitable for the sustainable development of offshore renewable energy, has been initiated by my Department. As part of that process, my Department will invite members of the NMPF Advisory Group to take part in the development of the OREDP II.
My Department has recently completed a public consultation on the draft terms and conditions for the first offshore wind auction under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, ORESS 1, which will support offshore wind development in Ireland. Projects successful at this auction will be required to make significant community benefit contributions from an early stage in the lifecycle of an offshore wind project. There has been a significant response from local communities to this consultation and my Department will now carefully consider all submissions before issuing a formal response early next year.
