Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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36. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the potential of the marine renewable energy sector to provide energy as part of our energy mix. [21633/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers.  A well balanced fuel mix that provides reliable energy, minimises costs and protects against supply disruptions and price volatility, is essential to Irish consumers as we make the transition to a low carbon energy system. Ireland has some of the best offshore and ocean energy resources in Europe, and the development of this abundant resource will be an increasingly important element of Ireland's future energy policies.  

This is particularly relevant in the context of the Energy White Paper “Ireland's Transition to a Low Carbon Energy Future 2015-2030” which defines the Government’s vision of a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector by 80% to 95 % relative to 1990 levels by 2050. 

The Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) sets out the Government’s policy in the ocean energy area.  The plan identifies the sustainable economic opportunity for Ireland in the period to 2030 of realising the potential of our indigenous offshore wind, wave and tidal energy resources.  The Strategic Environmental Assessment that underpinned the plan found that 4,500 MW of offshore wind and 1,500 MW of wave and tidal generation could be sustainably developed in Irish waters.

The recent Programme for Government recognises that wave and tidal energy will have an important role in Ireland’s future renewable energy mix and commits to supporting further research, development and demonstration of these technologies.

Exchequer support in terms of research, development and demonstration was increased under the OREDP.  My Department’s multi-annual ocean energy development budget covering the period 2013 - 2016, was increased by €16.8 million, to bring total cumulative funding to €26.3 million.  This funding supports Ireland’s commitment to world class infrastructure including the Lir National Ocean Test Facility in Cork, the quarter scale Galway Bay test site, and the full scale Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site (AMETS), off the coast of Mayo.  Exchequer support also includes funding to support a grant scheme for ocean wave companies known as the Prototype Development Fund, operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.  Eighty five projects have been awarded grants totalling €13m since the programme commenced in 2009.