Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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89. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will ensure that a reasonable proportion of the community benefit funds paid by offshore wind energy companies to meet their responsibilities under the renewable electricity support scheme is ring fenced for the benefit of fishing communities and fishing organisations nearest to those wind energy sites. [22011/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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All projects supported under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, onshore and offshore, are required to make mandatory contributions to Community Benefit Funds for the local communities at a rate of €2 for every MWh of energy generated. Owing to the larger scale of offshore wind developments, these contributions are expected to be significantly larger than those of onshore wind projects.  

My Department published draft Terms and Conditions for the first offshore auction under the scheme, ORESS 1, in October of last year. Following review of the submissions received in response to this consultation, my Department is developing final Terms and Conditions which will include provisions for the proper regulation and management of Community Benefit Funds associated with offshore wind projects, where the local community can participate in fund decision-making inclusively and equitably, including local fishing and seafood stakeholders. All applications for funding under the Community Benefit Fund received will be assessed in a fair, reasonable, non-discriminatory and transparent manner and all funding from the Community Benefit Fund shall be used for the sustainable environmental, economic, social and cultural wellbeing of the local community, including the fishing community.

A formal response to the ORESS 1 consultation will issue in May, and final Terms and Conditions are expected to be published this summer, following Government approval. The ORESS 1 auction is planned to launch by end-year.