Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 96 together.

The Government is giving high priority to supporting the development of Ireland's ocean energy potential. As the Deputies are aware development of this renewable energy source is at the very early stages and will require considerable research to bring it to fruition as a general source of energy. In this regard I launched the multi-annual ocean energy package last year. While I accept that progress in 2008 was somewhat slower than targeted I can report that significant progress has been made in completing the necessary preliminary tasks to ensure the proper functioning and financial management of the programme.

The ocean energy development unit base has been established within Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI. This unit will manage the ocean energy strategy and generally administer the scheme.

Since its establishment the unit has invested significantly in the creation of a state-of-the-art national ocean energy facility in University College Cork. The unit is also managing the development of a grid-connected wave energy test site off the west coast. It has also commenced the ocean energy prototype fund, which will assist research projects in this area. The first tranche of applications and allocations from the fund will be decided within a matter of weeks. In addition, I have also announced the introduction of a new feed-in-tariff under the REFIT scheme for wave and tidal technologies of €220 per megawatt hour, which will be available to future full-scale projects connected to the grid.

The unit has also established an advisory group comprising my Department, the CER, the Coastal Zone Managing Authority, Enterprise Ireland, EirGrid, ESB Networks, IDA Ireland, the Marine Institute and Science Foundation Ireland, to co-ordinate the activities of these agencies in developing and delivering an efficient roadmap for ocean energy.

The ocean energy development unit has also commenced work to deliver studies of common interest to the sector including a study on the engineering and specialist support requirements for the sector in order to enhance Ireland's capability to maximise participation in the construction and operation of wave and tidal systems; a review of the planning regime for ocean energy development, a strategic environmental assessment for ocean energy in Irish waters, to investigate partnership with industry for data gathering and processing, and a detailed review of the macroeconomic benefits that ocean energy can deliver for Ireland.

Expenditure in 2008, at just over €1 million, reflects the fact that each of the component measures was in the process of being established and I am advised that this pace will accelerate and the full allocation of €7 million in 2009 will be spent.

I am confident that delivery of the Government targets of 75 MW by 2012 and 500 MW by 2020 — which should be seen as the base of our ambitions, not a limit on them — from ocean energy technologies will be enabled as the current research and prototype development and that Ireland's considerable potential in this area can be realised.

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