Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

At COP27 the Taoiseach said, "Let us not waste a second more". In that regard, the barriers on the route to market in terms of the renewable energy industry are massive. What is the Government doing to remove the barriers so that we get a much quicker route to market in a comprehensive way so that we can get the renewable energy we need into play?

In order to fully realise the potential and provide a competitive route to market for a strong pipeline of renewable energy projects, the Government is tackling barriers, exactly as the Deputy suggested, across our planning, grid-development and financing systems to better support the timely delivery of additional renewable energy sources and the required supporting infrastructure. Under action 102 of the climate action plan 2021, several measures are being undertaken to enable the delivery of a more comprehensive and consistent spatial planning policy approach for renewable energy development at regional and local levels.

My Department is currently developing a policy framework that would set targets for onshore renewable electricity capacity, that should be planned for on a national and regional level, with which regional strategies and the county development plans will be required to be consistent. EirGrid is currently updating its Shaping Our Electricity Future infrastructure roadmap to reflect increasing ambition, including the sectoral emissions ceilings and the target of up to 80% renewables on the grid by 2030.

The renewable electricity support scheme is Government's primary policy for the delivery of renewable electricity. Ireland is now at more than 5 GW of onshore renewables with approximately 700 MW to be connected this year, which will make 2022 a record year for new renewable generation. Ireland is third in the world for its share of electricity provided by onshore wind and this year, the first large-scale solar projects are now generating power.

In the offshore sector, I am concluding the process of assessing the maritime area consent applications from Ireland's first phase of offshore renewable energy projects. The projects can then start engagement with An Bord Pleanála before submitting applications for development consent. The first offshore renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, auction will launch before the end of this year.

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