Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Kyne for his question. Ireland has one of the best offshore renewable energy resources in the world with a sea area of 490,000 sq. km, which is approximately seven times the size of our landmass. Because of Ireland's location at the Atlantic edge of the EU, we have more offshore energy potential than most other countries in Europe.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 includes a suite of actions to realise the full potential of the totality of Ireland's offshore renewable energy resources and commits to the achievement of 5 GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030. Our programme for Government sets out a further commitment to develop a longer-term plan to harness the estimated potential of at least 30 GW of offshore floating wind power in our Atlantic waters, which could enable Ireland to become a major regional generator and exporter of offshore renewable energy.

The Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 was enacted in December last year, establishing the legal framework for a new planning system for the maritime area. One of the main features of the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 is the creation of a new State consent, the maritime area consent or MAC, as a first step in a new and streamlined planning process.

The Maritime Area Planning Act also provides for the establishment of a new agency to regulate development in the maritime area, which is to be called the maritime area regulatory authority, MARA. MARA will have four key roles, namely, granting of all maritime area consents for the maritime area; granting maritime licences for specific scheduled activities, including environmental surveys; ensuring robust compliance and enforcement measures; and managing the existing State foreshore portfolio of leases and licences

Prior to the establishment of MARA and to make achievement of our 2030 targets feasible, a pathway was provided to enable a select number of projects which had advanced under the existing foreshore regime to transition to the new maritime area planning regime.

Under the Maritime Area Planning Act, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications is responsible for assessing and granting maritime area consents for a first batch of offshore projects. Those are the projects which satisfy the definition of "relevant maritime usage", under the legislation.

The maritime area consent regime assesses the viability of proposed offshore renewable energy developers in a number of key areas, including in respect of their financial and technical competency. The robust assessment of potential offshore developers who apply for a maritime area consent will ensure that only the most viable offshore projects will have the opportunity to apply for development permission from An Bord Pleanála.

On 25 April 2022, an eight-week window opened for maritime area consent applications from projects satisfying the definition of "relevant maritime usage". The first maritime area consents are expected to be issued in the second half of this year. This will mark an important step towards reaching our 2030 targets.

After the assessment and grant of the first batch of offshore renewable energy projects, responsibility will be transferred over to the maritime area regulatory authority. It will be established and operational from next year. The establishment of this authority is one of the highest priorities for the Government.

Projects which obtain a MAC will still be required to apply for all of the requisite consents and planning permission and will be subject to the full environmental assessment and public participation procedures by An Bord Pleanála.

A new offshore renewable energy development plan, OREDP Il, will be published in early 2023. The OREDP Il will assess Ireland's offshore energy resource potential, including for floating wind power generation off the west coast and will provide an evidence base for the identification of the areas most suitable for the sustainable development of fixed and floating wind, wave, and tidal technologies in the Irish exclusive economic zone, while also considering other maritime activities and marine biodiversity. The OREDP Il, along with a planned economic analysis, will set out the pathway for the long-term sustainable development of offshore renewable energy beyond 2030. This plan will provide a framework for the future sustainable development of Ireland's offshore renewable energy resources.

The development of offshore renewable energy in Ireland will bring us closer to achieving our energy and climate goals, reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels and increasing our security and diversity of energy supply.