Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

181. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress made to date with the development of a ports policy for the wind energy sector; when the policy will be published and implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56418/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Given Ireland’s increased ambition in the area of Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) and pending the review of overall National Ports Policy, and following an assessment of options, Minister Ryan announced an Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Ports Policy Statement setting out the strategy for a multi-port approach to the provision of port facilities.  This policy is focused on commercial ports. A copy of the Policy Statement can be accessed at the link below.

www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/8f40e-policy-statement-on-the-facilitation-of-offshore-renewable-energy-by-commercial-ports-in-ireland/

A number of ports will be required to provide facilities for the different activities at several locations around the country and at different times for the various phases of the fixed and floating ORE developments. This will maximise the economic benefits at both regional and national level in terms of job creation and new SME enterprises in areas such as engineering, fabrication, transport and logistics, and other technologies.

A multiport approach will ultimately allow investments that are commercially viable in the long-term progress without undermining the ability of any port to meet its primary obligations in relation to the facilitation of international trade.

In line with the ORE Ports Policy Statement, in March 2022, the department established a Ports Co-ordination Group, the overall objective of which is to ensure that ports develop infrastructure to facilitate the ORE sector in line with Government policy.  The Group provides a forum for port related ORE facilitation issues to be raised and to promote the sharing of information and best practices in relation to ORE port facilitation issues.   

A number of ports are currently progressing plans for the development of the necessary facilities and the Department is engaging with on a bilateral basis in relation to various workstreams underway on the delivery of that infrastructure. 

A full review of National Ports Policy (NPP) will commence later this year which will look at the overall ports policy framework. The first stage in this review will be the drafting of an Issues Paper and it is anticipated that this will go to public consultation in early 2023.