Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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60. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to report on the measures his Department is taking to implement the recommendations of a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23297/24]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I ask the Minister to report on the measures his Department is taking to implement the recommendations of the report from the Oireachtas committee on renewables and offshore wind and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I want to ask specifically about recommendation 8. It refers to Wind Energy Ireland and the Skills for Zero Carbon report. Regarding ports specifically, there is a recommendation for investment in our ports. This is an issue that comes up consistently. I hear the response from Government regarding applications for European funding but we have seen in the past that our ports have been unsuccessful in applications for European funding. We also see in France and elsewhere where the state has found a way to directly intervene and support ports to ensure that they are fit for purpose and ready to deliver on the potential of offshore renewables.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Regarding the first part of the question, we are engaging with Foras on that at the moment. On the issue of the ports, the Department of Transport, as the Deputy is probably aware, is currently awaiting the results of the 2003 connecting Europe facility funding call. We expect to have those results by July of this year. The Department of Transport, along with the Irish Maritime Development Office, assisted ports that made applications under that funding call. We are aware that multiple ports have submitted applications. The Department has also signed an advisory agreement with the European Investment Bank, EIB. This bank is undertaking analysis on demand, capacity and finance options that relate to Irish ports' offshore renewable energy plans. The Department is also overseeing reviews of each business case that has been submitted by Irish ports in relation to offshore renewable energy.

The offshore renewable energy ports facilitation division has communicated feedback to the relevant ports based on their initial reviews. Once a formal evaluation of those projects has been carried out and the advisory work of the European Investment Bank is completed, the Department will be able to make an informed decision on the financing of those projects.