Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 July 2022
122. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on a policy issue raised by a group (details supplied) regarding the development of offshore wind farms in County Louth; the status of the work of his Department to address such concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36222/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government considers the engagement of organisations, businesses and communities from all coastal and marine communities as vital to the success of Ireland’s offshore renewable energy transformation. A newly established Seafood / Offshore Renewable Energy Working Group, to which an independent Chair was recently appointed by the Minister for Housing, will provide an important forum to facilitate communication, understanding and constructive engagement between these important sectors. Ireland has a target to achieve 5GW of offshore renewable energy by 2030 to deliver on our climate objectives and increase our energy security. This will be primarily met off our eastern and southern coasts reflecting the suitability of water depths in these regions for deployment of fixed bottom wind turbines, the availability of electricity grid infrastructure capacity and proximity to the largest demand centres. Two batches of offshore renewable energy projects will be required to progress through the new consenting system to achieve these targets. Applications for Maritime Area Consents from a defined set of pre-qualified Phase 1 projects are currently being assessed by my Department. This assessment involves considering the technical and financial capability of prospective developers to ensure only the most viable projects can enter the planning system. If granted a MAC, developers are then eligible to apply for development permission to An Bord Pleanála. All applications to An Bord Pleanála will involve a robust assessment of project specific details, include environmental assessment and full public consultation. My Department recently held a consultation on the criteria to use to select the second batch of projects required to meet our 5GW target. Responses are currently being assessed, with a decision on the Phase Two criteria to be taken later this year.
