Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 April 2023
187. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline the potential for the Atlantic Corridor to become a hub for renewable energy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18414/23]
View answerOur Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the economic potential of our rural regions, towns and villages. This includes the potential for rural areas to play a strong role in securing a sustainable renewable energy source and the opportunity presented by offshore renewable wind energy, particularly for coastal areas.
The Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC) stretching from Kerry to Donegal has an abundance of natural resources along its coastline. Comprising of the Northwest, West, and Midwest regions, it also has an established onshore wind industry that accounts for more than half of the wind energy generated in Ireland. The Western Development Commission (WDC), an agency under my department’s remit, alongside other regional stakeholders such as the relevant local authorities, work towards highlighting the assets and opportunities in the AEC for employment, living and investment, and the development of pilot initiatives which aim to facilitate an internationally competitive region.
The Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment’s Regional Enterprise Plans are developed by regional stakeholders and focus on undertaking collaborative initiatives that can help deliver enterprise growth in each of the nine regions across Ireland. The WDC is the coordinator of the West Regional Enterprise Plan which has specific objectives and actions set out to support and drive the renewable energy sector along the Atlantic Coast.
There is now a clear opportunity for the Atlantic region to become a hub for renewable energy. The 2022 report, ‘Growth of Onshore to Offshore Wind: Atlantic Region Wind Energy & Supply-Chain Feasibility Study’, led by a group of regional stakeholders (including the WDC), found that by 2037 there could be upwards of 5,000 jobs supported directly by the offshore wind sector alone. It also found that by 2037 the offshore wind sector could generate up to €400 million in Gross Value Add annually. The impact on indirect employment could be equally transformative with the potential the creation of high-quality, sustainable jobs. Wind energy is seen as an opportunity to deliver on climate goals, to deliver jobs, economic development, infrastructure, innovation and foreign direct investment in the Atlantic region.
The development of renewable energy infrastructure in rural areas can contribute to balanced regional development, sustainable and thriving communities, the wider national economy and our climate action policy. My Department will continue to work with our key partners across government to harness the natural resources of our rural regions which continue to make a central contribution to the achievement of the Government's vision for rural Ireland, as set out in Our Rural Future.
