Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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177. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide details of any provision made by his Department for research on the potential impact on diadromous fish from marine renewables and related infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15053/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The data assessment for the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan II (OREDP II), Ireland’s new national spatial strategy for offshore renewable energy, brought together for the first time a significant amount of marine data held across Government to increase our understanding of the marine environment and biodiversity in the context of offshore renewable energy.

Through governance groups established for OREDP II, my Department engaged with expert agencies such as the Marine Institute, Inland Fisheries Ireland and the National Parks and Wildlife Service along with other stakeholders in the research and fishing sectors to collate and share knowledge and data on fish species in Irish waters.

Data on diadromous fish such as migratory salmon and lamprey formed part of data assessment and this was considered as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the OREDP II. While there are areas where the national level evidence base needs to be strengthened, the assessment found that there is a significant amount of data available at a local level which is suitable for use in lower tier assessments in the marine planning framework.

As set out in the draft OREDP II, my Department is committed to continuing working with stakeholders across the State to build this evidence base by monitoring impacts of offshore renewable energy projects and identifying priority areas for research on marine environment and biodiversity, including through further environmental assessments of potential areas suitable for offshore renewable energy. The OREDP II and its associated environmental assessments are currently out for consultation until 20 April with all relevant information available at www.Gov.ie/OffshoreEnergyPlan.