Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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110. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the measures he and his Department are taking to ensure Ireland is prepared to harness the opportunity of the renewable energy transformation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60855/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Climate Action is one of the most urgent issues facing the Irish economy and society and mitigating the impacts of Climate Action is one of the core objectives of this Government.

Renewable energy of all forms will be instrumental in enabling our transition to a low carbon economy. Under the Climate Action Plan 2021, the Government is committed to 80% of our electricity being created from renewable resources by 2030. Meeting our targets will require a very significant increase in the deployment rates of renewable electricity compared to those achieved in recent years.

My Department has undertaken a number of measures to prepare us for the transition. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), whose Secretariat is located in my Department, recently published their study on Skills to Zero Carbon. The study outlines recommendations for consideration in areas it identifies as representing “Zero Carbon” activities including:

- Onshore and Offshore wind generation (5GW of offshore and up to 8GW of onshore wind)

- Solar energy generation (1.5-2.5GW)

- The energy efficient retrofit of 500,000 homes to a minimum B2 BER

- The installation of 600,000 heat pumps, and

- The target of having 840,000 electric cars, and 95,000 commercial vehicles, on Irish roads.

The work of the EGFSN is informing the Government’s approach to skills planning across the education and training system for the transition to a low carbon sustainable economy.

My own Department’s agency, Enterprise Ireland, is actively working to develop Irish SME capability in the Offshore Wind sector. In 2019 Enterprise Ireland established an Offshore Wind industry cluster to identify and work with Irish companies to drive the industry’s growth. Enterprise Ireland continues to work closely with 60 companies in the sector to solve technology challenges, identify innovation opportunities and to capitalise on end market opportunities.

EI will also set out actions to embed sustainability and climate action as a fundamental part of its approach to company development and engagement with client companies in the context of its forthcoming new Strategy.

IDA Ireland’s strategy published earlier this year, “Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021-2024” includes a sustainability pillar. This places sustainability at the heart of IDA Ireland’s corporate strategy, and includes a focus on winning FDI from the world’s leading companies across all areas of the Green Economy.

The National Standards Authority of Ireland is involved in the drive towards a green economy which in the renewable energy transformation includes, for example, establishing and enhancing standards for retrofitting, publishing recommendations for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of solar PV panels and details on heat pump requirements.

This work will present opportunities for developing and growing the green economy while also assisting in our transition to increased renewable energy.