Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is absolutely right to question this, because the very centre point of us delivering everything else is ensuring that we have the resources within particular State agencies to deliver. On that basis, officials from my Department have been engaging with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with respect to the level of staffing required by An Bord Pleanála to process applications for renewable energy, both onshore and offshore, with a view to ensuring that there is sufficient and appropriate expertise in place to meet the State's ambitions in respect of the roll-out of renewable energy projects. These discussions are ongoing and will continue over the course of the current quarter. The CRU has submitted its strategic plan for 2022 to 2024, which includes a workforce plan to increase the workforce by 74 over the next three years to ensure it can deliver on its objectives, including programme for Government commitments in relation to off-shore renewable energy. My consent and that of my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, is needed for the workforce plan and official-level engagement has been expedited to secure approval. Third, EirGrid has been appointed the operator and asset owner of Ireland's offshore electricity transmission system, with ownership resting with EirGrid at all stages of the phased transition, regardless of whether the grid has been developed by individual renewable energy projects or EirGrid. As a commercial State company, the resourcing required to deliver on EirGrid's mandate is a matter for the board and management of the company. I expect and see EirGrid expanding its operations to meet the requirements of this leap we need to make.

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