Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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88. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No.236 of 10 November 2020, if Ros an Mhíl harbour is amongst those considered as a regional harbour in the response; if it is being included in any discussions or planning in relation to the marine renewable energy industry in view of the fact it is ideally positioned to service marine renewables on the western seaboard; the role he envisages for the harbour in regards to the marine renewable industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37526/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Ireland has a sea area of 900,000 square kilometres, 10 times its landmass, and some of the best offshore renewable energy resources in the world. The 2014 Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) sets out policy for the sustainable development of our abundant offshore renewable energy resources.  The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) that underpinned the OREDP found that 4,500 MW of offshore wind and 1,500 MW of wave and tidal generation could be sustainably developed in Irish waters in the period to 2030. The OREDP can be found on my Department’s website (www.decc.gov.ie).Work has commenced on updating the 2014 Plan. This updated OREDP will identify the optimal locations for offshore renewable energy (ORE) development on Ireland's coasts by carrying out a resource assessment for wind, wave and tidal conditions in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This will also take account of new information collected on the offshore resource since 2014 and will model potential capacity in the Irish EEZ. This work will provide an evidence base for the assessment of zones or areas suitable for deployment of wind, wave and tidal technologies, which will then be input into marine spatial planning work underway by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The outcomes from the OREDP2 will then enable relevant departments to assess the potential opportunities for development of ports and harbours in the context of marine renewables.