Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs
Planning Challenges in Offshore Renewable Energy: Discussion
2:00 am
Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
I have one further question for Wind Energy Ireland. It relates to what I said earlier in terms of harnessing the power of offshore and renewable energy to be a driver of economic growth and economic development in the areas in which they are located. In the case of the south coast DMAP we are talking about Waterford in particular. What opportunities are there for economic growth arising in the areas immediately inshore from the wind farms? I am thinking in particular about opportunities for technological advancement partnerships with universities like the South East Technological University, for example, and the use of regional airports for drones for monitoring, inspection and related issues. There is also the training and apprenticeship piece and the third level courses that could sustain and help to develop the sector. There is an understanding that this could be a game changer for regional economies. I would like to hear the opinions of the industry representative group on the opportunities for the likes of Waterford.
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