Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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29. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the supports available for the research, development and introduction or commercialisation of the renewable energy resource of wave energy, particularly in view of the fact that European research has indicated that the average wave power in Europe is highest near the west of Ireland. [47277/14]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has some of the best offshore renewable energy resources in the world. Wave and tidal energy are still at the research, development and demonstration stage globally. While promising experimental devices have been developed, much research, development and demonstration is required to bring wave energy technology to commercial viability.

Policy action across a range of areas is required to support developers in bringing ocean energy devices from prototype to full scale commercial viability. In Ireland, policy measures are being progressed under the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) which was published earlier this year.

In addition to tax relief for research and development generally, exchequer support for ocean energy measures has been provided to the sector in recent years and is being increased under the OREDP. The Department’s multi-annual ocean energy development budget was increased by €16.8 million, covering the period 2013 to 2016, bringing 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 (SEAI). SEAI has to date invested or provided grant aid totaling just over €2.6m to ocean wave energy companies from the fund.

In addition, the OREDP also 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.