Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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189. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the details of all costs incurred in the preparation of the foreshore lease application (details supplied) made by SEAI for an offshore site in County Mayo, including the costs of all consultations, studies, assessment documents and reports relating to the entire project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49913/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) that costs incurred in the preparation of the environmental impact study and foreshore lease application for the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site (AMETS) were €818,871. This covers costs for all studies conducted between 2010 and 2011 in preparation for the Foreshore application.  Costs relating to one study completed  in 2009 which informed  the selection and development of the site have been more difficult to locate due to change of financial system. However, these are being sought by the Authority and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) 2014 sets the policy framework for the sustainable development of our offshore renewable energy resources. Ireland is currently developing a suite of world class ocean energy test facilities capable of taking an ocean energy technology through the main technology readiness levels. The Lir National Ocean Test Facility in Cork consists of state of the art wave tanks and electrical rigs that allow for scaled testing in a controlled environment. The Galway Bay Marine and Renewable Energy Test Site (GBMRETS) allows ¼ scale devices to be tested in real sea conditions.

The AMETS is being developed by the SEAI to facilitate testing of full scale wave energy converters in an open ocean environment. AMETS will be located off Annagh Head, west of Belmullet in County Mayo and will be connected to the national grid. At present all development in Irish coastal waters from the high tide mark out to 12 nautical miles must receive consent to develop  from the Minister for Housing Planning and Local Government in order to proceed. The AMETS foreshore lease was granted by the Minister for Housing Planning and Local Government in 2015.

Planning permission for the onshore aspects of the AMETS, including the electrical substations, was awarded in April 2017. The next steps are to commission a detailed design of the substation and tender for construction and connection to the electricity network.