Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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268. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount of funds being spent by his Department on research and development for renewable energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19712/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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€18.36 million has been provided in my Department's Vote in 2021 for renewable energy research and development.  €15.51 million of this is for the SEAI administered energy research development and demonstration (RD&D) programme and the SEAI Ocean Energy programme. Under its RD&D programme, SEAI funds proposals secured through competitive calls. The last call in 2019 funded 45 projects, of which 30 were directly related to renewable energy research. The most recent call for projects closed on 29 March this year and covered 25 different themes, most of which relate directly to renewable energy. A llist of the successful projects will be published on the SEAI website in due course.

Exchequer support for Ocean Energy research and development from 2013 – 2020 amounted to a total of €43 million. A further €6 million is allocated for 2021.