Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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37. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to develop offshore wind energy in Irish waters; and the way in which he plans to integrate the transmission of connectors to such wind farms with additional electricity interconnectors to other electricity markets. [41905/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan 2014 () sets out the Government’s plan for the sustainable development of our abundant offshore renewable energy resources.  The Strategic Environmental Assessment carried out for the OREDP found that it would be environmentally sustainable for 4,500 MW of offshore wind and 1,500MW of wave and tidal devices to be developed in Irish waters in the period to 2030.

Separately, and as the Deputy will already be aware, the Government has a range of policy measures and schemes to incentivise the use of renewable energy and a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) scheme is being developed under which all forms of renewable energy technology, including offshore wind, are being considered.  on the development and design of the new scheme was launched earlier this month and will close on 3 November.  The new scheme will then be designed to take account of the findings of this public consultation, and subject to Government and State Aid approval, should be open in 2018.

Enhanced energy connectivity however has the potential to help energy consumers benefit from a fully integrated European Internal Energy Market, as well as increasing the contribution that renewable energy can make to meeting our energy requirements.

On a wider front, Ireland is one of a number of countries who signed a political declaration in 2016 on closer energy cooperation in the North Seas area.  One objective of this cooperation is to facilitate the further cost effective deployment of offshore renewable energy, particularly wind, through voluntary cooperation, with the aim of ensuring a sustainable, secure and affordable energy supply in the North Seas Countries.  Officials from my Department and relevant agencies are actively engaged in this project.