Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach's office for selecting this Commencement debate and I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. I had a choice of which Minister to put this matter to. I could have put it to the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, the Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Gaeltacht regions, which includes Ros an Mhíl, or to the Minister of State's own Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. That shows the cross-departmental role this development has.

I acknowledge the visit by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, to Ros an Mhíl last Friday. He launched a report that recognises the suitability of Ros an Mhíl in the Galway or Connemara Gaeltacht as a prime location for the development of a strategic hub to support the floating offshore wind sector, with the potential to create 900 jobs. Having 900 potential jobs in a region such as Ros an Mhíl, sa cheantar sin, would be huge. The report by Dublin Offshore Consultants, DOC, was launched by the Minister last Friday. Planning permission was granted to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2018 for a 200 m deepwater quay to provide an opportunity to develop the necessary onshore infrastructure at Ros an Mhíl. The port currently supports ferry, fishing and leisure activities within the existing harbour. I acknowledge the support of the Department in the development of the marina at Ros an Mhíl and the pontoon development for the Aran Islands ferries as well.

Rinne Údarás na Gaeltachta cur i láthair don Aire, an Teachta McConalogue, an tseachtain seo caite maidir le calafort Ros an Mhíl, agus sheol an tAire tuarascáil faoi na deiseanna atá i Ros an Mhíl maidir le fuinneamh in-athnuaite. Tá Údarás na Gaeltachta ag tacú le Coiste Tacaíochta Chalafort Ros an Mhíl chun an togra seo a bhrú chun cinn. Teastaíonn ó na Ranna seo, sé sin, an Roinn Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara, an Roinn Comhshaoil, Aeráide agus Cumarsáide, agus an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, teacht le chéile chun an togra seo a bhrú chun cinn agus a chur i bhfeidhm, ar mhaithe leis an gceantar agus don earnáil fuinnimh agus mara. Three Departments are involved in this project, namely, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media - which has a particular relevance to Údarás na Gaeltachta - and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. We need officials in all three Departments to come together, sit around a table and thrash this out. I do not believe that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, on its own, wants to push this project forward for fisheries purposes. However, there is more to it than that; we are talking about a broad approach here, including, in particular, the potential for offshore renewable energy. There is a need for a whole-of-government approach.

Development of the fisheries harbours is included in the national development plan, as it was in previous plans, and the relevant planning permission is in place for Ros an Mhíl. It is important now for all stakeholders to come together and I am asking the Minister of State to spearhead that. As I said, the Minister was very gracious in coming down to launch the report and hear the presentation from the group. We need him to sit down at the table with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Jack Chambers, and push forward this project with the support of the Government.