Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 February 2022
99. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he will take to ensure citizen engagement with offshore wind energy projects in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10158/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government considers citizen engagement central to Ireland’s offshore renewable energy (ORE) transformation. Local communities will be key to the decision-making process of community engagement initiatives during Ireland’s offshore renewable energy journey.Public participation is a central tenet of the Maritime Area Planning Act (2021) which establishes a new planning regime for the sustainable development of our offshore resources. All applications by offshore wind energy projects for development consent to An Bord Pleanála will involve full public consultation. My Department is currently considering the recently-completed public consultation on draft terms and conditions for the first offshore wind auction under the Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme. Successful projects will be required to make significant community benefit fund contributions from an early stage in the lifecycle of an offshore wind project. My Department is currently considering all responses received and will, in the coming weeks, be issuing a formal response to local communities’ submissions. My Department is also progressing work on the second Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan. This will set out a pathway for the long-term sustainable development of Ireland's ORE resources. As work on this plan is progressed during 2022, public participation will be sought, particularly from those in coastal communities, in addition to key stakeholders to ensure a wide variety of views are captured in the development of this plan.
