I propose to take Questions Nos. 175 and 176 together.
ESB have informed my Department that as part of their plans to develop a green energy hub at Moneypoint, they are developing a floating wind farm of 1,400MW off the coasts of Counties Clare and Kerry in partnership with Equinor. The first phase of their two planned wind farms will be commissioned by 2028 subject to the appropriate consents and success at relevant auctions. This will contribute significantly to Ireland’s target of at least 5GW of Offshore Wind connected to the grid by 2030 and once complete, the wind farm will be capable of powering more than 1.6 million homes in Ireland. Construction of an offshore windfarm is a highly specialised activity that includes both onshore and offshore activities. Based on similar projects elsewhere, ESB estimate that employment during construction will be close to 600 people.
On an ongoing basis, ESB assess all available technologies for technical and commercial feasibility. This includes onshore and offshore wind, solar, wave and other renewable technologies.