Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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333. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps he is taking to ensure that Irish workers, crew, boat builders and installation companies are given priority when installing offshore wind infrastructure, supporting and creating employment in a growing industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44826/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Ireland has one of the best offshore renewable energy resources in Europe. Cost effective harnessing of the potential of this sector will be crucial to reducing our dependence on expensive fossil fuel imports, creating a low carbon energy system and delivering jobs in the green economy. My Department is currently finalising an Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP). Informed by the findings of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), the OREDP will identify how best to coordinate action across the environmental, energy and economic development policy areas in order to realise Ireland's abundant offshore renewable energy potential, using both offshore wind, and emerging ocean, renewable technologies.

In addition, my Department is working closely with the United Kingdom Government to pursue the opportunity of harnessing the renewable energy resources for export. Renewable energy export holds the prospect for significant job creation in the future, both in the building and maintenance of generation installations and the manufacture of components in Ireland. All relevant State agencies, particularly in the enterprise area, will have to co-ordinate their activities early in the process to ensure we maximise the employment potential of export projects. This opportunity has already been identified by the Industrial Development Agency and Enterprise Ireland in their clean technology growth strategies.