Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 November 2022
157. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps being taken to ensure development jobs for the offshore wind sector will be available to qualified Irish sea farers and that tender boats could be built in Irish boat yards to ensure Irish jobs benefit as much as possible from the development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56461/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith Ireland’s maritime area being seven times the size of its landmass and our location at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, I am critically aware that the potential for offshore renewable energy in Ireland is enormous – both in terms of power generation and economic opportunity. Central to realising this potential is the work of the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce.
The goal of the Taskforce is to accelerate and drive delivery by public bodies of offshore wind. To achieve this, it is developing a system-wide programme, bringing together the work ongoing across Government to deliver on our offshore wind ambitions. One of the key objectives of the Taskforce is to ensure that potential economic and societal opportunities associated with the development of the sector are captured. This includes identification of supply chain opportunities for Irish companies and skills/workforce planning.
The Taskforce is chaired by my Department and its membership comprises senior officials from Government Departments and agencies with offshore wind related actions under the Climate Action Plan. This includes, from a supply chain perspective, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and Enterprise Ireland and from a skills/workforce planning perspective, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
