Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment Report on Offshore Renewable Energy is comprehensive and forward-thinking. I thank the Chair, the members and the secretariat for their work on it. We had a very good and comprehensive debate on it some weeks ago in the Chamber. I will briefly respond to the recommendations set out in the report.

On recommendation 1, the publication of the draft south coast designated maritime area plan, SC-DMAP, by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications earlier this month, alongside the future framework for offshore renewable energy, ORE, sets out the Government’s plan-led approach to the development of ORE going forward. Powering Prosperity - Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy recognises the important role that floating offshore wind technology will play in delivering offshore energy at scale in the medium term. As I said to Deputy Stanton earlier, work will begin in 2024 to examine the possible development of a new floating offshore wind demonstrator. This will be led by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications with close input from my Department.

Much work is being undertaken in relation to public data collection and research as set out in recommendation 3 of the joint committee report. Research, development and innovation is one of the four core pillars within Powering Prosperity. We want Ireland to be seen as having a competitive advantage in developing cutting-edge new technologies and we want to develop know-how across the sector.

Recommendation 4 notes the need for a much more integrated approach to monitoring and development of renewable energy. This work is primarily being led by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.

The committee recommended active education, training and recruitment initiatives to increase the supply of essential skills in this industry. My officials are engaged with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on such initiatives. We are also working with the officials on recommendation 8.

Regarding recommendation 6, several of the nine regional enterprise plan steering committees - which the Minister, the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, and I sit on - have established subgroups focused on offshore renewable energy. Our officials are engaging with these groups as they begin their work.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

The offshore wind delivery taskforce, OWDT, chaired by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, plays an important role in bringing all the relevant stakeholders from across Departments, offices and agencies together to accelerate and drive the development of offshore renewables in Ireland. Officials from our Department are members of the OWDT and lead on workstream 7, which focused on realising a successful supply chain.

Aligned with recommendation 9, another of the core pillars in Powering Prosperity focuses on building capacity and capability along the offshore wind supply chain. By developing a domestic supply chain, supporting Irish companies exporting globally and attracting new foreign direct investment, FDI, in this space, it is expected that new or additional jobs will be created, as well as other economic benefits.

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