Vol. 518 No. 6
87 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will make a statement on the recently published consultation document on new policy proposals for foreshore leases and licences for offshore wind and wave electricity generation. [12929/00]
Applications for foreshore leases to allow the construction of offshore wind farms were made to my Department in late 1988 and early 1999. Development of major commercial projects of this nature and situated on the foreshore away from the land posed a new challenge to my Department. It is also an areas where there is very little international experience. At the time the electricity market in Ireland was not liberalised and legislation to allow for liberalisation was in course of passage through the Oireachtas. The applications were disallowed and applicants were advised that applications for foreshore licences to allow the investigation of the suitability of sites would be accepted and processed but that no foreshore leases for energy generation projects would be issued until after a firm policy framework had been established.
Discussions took place with the private sector, the Commissioner for Electricity Regulation, who was not at that stage functioning under statute, and with industry and regulators abroad as well as many bodies in both the private and State sector in Ireland in an effort to devise a policy which would maximise the opportunities for development of green electricity production, minimise interference with other users of the foreshore, protect the marine environment and maximise the return to the State from the use of scarce foreshore resources.
Following on from these discussions a consultation document entitled Offshore Electricity Generating Stations – Note for Intending Developers issued on 23 February of this year to more than 150 interested parties. The consultation period expired on 30 March and more than 30 submissions were received from interested parties.
The observations received are currently being examined in my Department. There will also be further discussions with the Commission for Electricity Regulation to ensure that the administration of the Foreshore Acts in the context of offshore electricity generation is in harmony with the administration of the Electricity Regulation Act.
I expect to be in a position to agree a policy document next month and to consider recommendations for the issue of foreshore licences immediately thereafter. I confirm that an environmental impact statement will be required for every offshore electricity generation project as part and parcel of the foreshore lease application. The public will be given the opportunity to consider and comment on every such application before I make a decision on the application.
