Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I reiterate Deputy Howlin's calls in the House today to invest in Rosslare Europort.

This is the eighth time I have spoken on this topic in the Dáil since my election in 2020.

On the first of those occasions, during Topical Issues, I highlighted that Rosslare Europort was the most suitable of all our ports for a wind energy base to be established. I asked the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to unlock the potential for Ireland to be the first to commit to developing Rosslare for the good of the country and our future.

On the second occasion, I asked the Minister, Deputy Ryan, where was the foresight that would see Rosslare as the country’s main offshore wind farm and construction port. I said, “We need leadership and decision making, to be followed by the money.” In March 2021, I asked the Minister about the level of financial support his Department would provide to Rosslare Europort to initiate the various studies needed to support an application for Rosslare to act as a service port for the wind energy sector and when that support would be forthcoming. Later in 2021 on a debate on the Maritime Area Planning Bill I said again that:

Rosslare Europort is the country's most strategic port and it is in urgent need of investment. Giving taxpayers a double bang for their buck would mean awarding the offshore construction wind base to Rosslare Europort which [would] provide the infrastructure required and repair the neglect of that port for the last 30 years [by the semi-State organisation Irish Rail].

In December 2021, I sponsored a motion calling on the Government to immediately draft an offshore renewable action plan. The motion was agreed by the House with the Minister of State, Deputy Smith, highlighting that Ireland has one of the best offshore renewable energy resources in the world. We have more offshore energy potential than most other EU member states.

In September 2022, in a debate on energy security, I highlighted that no port in this country is ready to construct offshore wind farms. Rosslare Europort has been deemed the most suitable but not one penny has gone from this Government’s coffers to justify it and join the dots. The Government has not committed one penny of taxpayers’ money to Rosslare Europort for the advancement of electricity. The €200 million investment from the Brexit fund is money from Europe.

Most recently, earlier this month, I mentioned offshore renewable energy when asking the Minister of State what urgent actions the Department was taking to address the huge infrastructural deficits in our ports, particularly Rosslare Europort, and what level of funding the Department would provide to ports to prepare for offshore renewable energy.

Given all my campaigning over the last few years, I welcome the fact a plan was laid before Dáil Éireann in the last week, albeit it has taken too long to happen. That plan states we will immediately accelerate to designating specific areas of our maritime area for renewable energy production. The resulting offshore renewable energy, designated areas and designated maritime area plans "will guide investment and decision-making and will complement the forthcoming network of Marine Protected Areas". Rosslare Europort must be central to these plans and has been neglected for years. It is the ideal strategic location for a centre of excellence when it comes to offshore renewable energy.

The plan also says we will prioritise the work of the new State agency, MARA, which will see priority given to energy-related developments in the first years of its existence. Given the plan states MARA will prioritise energy and energy-related developments, having the hub of offshore renewable energy a few miles down the road in Rosslare Europort makes perfect sense. I wish the Minister of State well.

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