Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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10. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is satisfied to leave the development of the best wave energy resource in Europe to the private sector or if will he require the ESB to direct resources to developing the wave energy resource to provide renewable energy and jobs for Irish workers. [40171/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The development of Ireland's abundant offshore renewable energy resource will be an increasingly important element of Ireland's future energy policy. The Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan sets out a vision of Ireland’s offshore renewable energy resource contributing to economic development and sustainable growth, and generating jobs for our citizens. The Plan highlights the importance of coherent policy, planning and regulation, managed in an integrated and collaborative manner. To coordinate support across Government, the Offshore Renewable Energy Steering Group has been established with relevant Government departments and agencies overseeing the implementation of the plan, focussing on three main areas namely the Environment, Infrastructure and Job Creation. In addition, the Steering Group will hold plenary sessions with external stakeholders annually.

The ocean energy sector is at the pre-commercial stage. A range of policies is required to support developers in bringing their devices from prototype to full scale commercial viability. Exchequer support for ocean research, development and demonstration has been provided to the sector in recent years and is being increased under the OREDP. My Department’s multi-annual ocean energy development budget was increased by €16.8 million, covering the period 2013 to 2016, and brought the total cumulative funding to €26.3 million. This funding will support the development of the test sites in counties Mayo, Galway and Cork, the Integrated Maritime Energy Resource Cluster at Ringaskiddy, and the Prototype Development Fund operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Options for an additional €30 million capital funding in the years 2016 to 2018 are being discussed cross-departmentally. T his funding is expected to facilitate innovative projects, like the ESB led Westwave project, that can meet certain compliance criteria.

Finally, I should highlight that the OREDP further proposes, subject to State Aid clearance from the European Commission and further Government approval, an initial market support scheme for wave and tidal energy from 2016, limited to 30MW, to unlock the economic growth and job creation opportunities offered by ocean energy development.