Ms Kate Dempsey:

Only last week, conflict raised the cost of oil to more than $105 a barrel. The energy crisis is worsening not just environmentally but economically and socially. The ever-present challenges of the climate emergency and the transition towards decarbonisation have resulted in the industry responding with innovation to support net zero. The Irish Government's clear and commendable policy response to these challenges has been to encourage the development of renewable energy to the extent that Ireland can become a net exporter of energy.

In that context, the work being led by the Department to put in place a "plan-led" approach to offshore renewable development through a revised offshore renewable energy development plan, OREDP, is welcome. Post 2030, this will provide clear signals to developers. Between now and 2030, we need to ensure we do as much as possible to support some of the country's most promising and viable offshore projects by providing equitable and prompt access to the licensing process.

Looking to the future, it is crucial that Ireland continues to learn from other jurisdictions, focusing on developing supply chain confidence for offshore energy development, increasing the capacity of the national transmission system, encouraging and incentivising off-grid solutions, promoting the delivery of floating offshore in advance of 2030 and incentivising the production of green hydrogen to serve domestic and international energy needs. It is only through the culmination of all types of offshore energy generation that Ireland can truly capture the potential of our offshore natural energy resources.

This is not a time to wait or to be complacent. It is the time to act. It is the time to realise the aim of this committee and to ensure stakeholders are supported in urgently progressing all viable renewable energy projects, promoting confidence of investment to keep Ireland at the international forefront of clean energy.

We would ask the committee to consider the opportunity that our renewable energy resources presents for potential trade with Germany and with other European partners. The German-Irish Hydrogen Council wishes to co-operate with the members of the committee in order to deliver high-level engagement between the Governments of Germany and Ireland in the field of green hydrogen.