Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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49. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will outline his Department’s work in advancing the opportunity for Ireland in terms of offshore renewable energy. [20433/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Under the Climate Action Plan 2023, the Government has committed to achieving at least 5GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030 to support the national target of 80% renewable energy by the end of the decade. This initial target represents the first steps in achieving a long-term plan, set out in the Programme for Government, to take advantage of a potential of at least 30GW of offshore wind in Irish waters post-2030.

The Government’s approach to offshore wind development involves several workstreams which are underway simultaneously:

• Phase One, which corresponds to the first offshore renewable electricity auction (ORESS 1), for delivery by 2030,
• Phase Two, which involves an accelerated work programme for the delivery of the remainder of the 5GW target by 2030, as established by the Phase Two Policy Statement in March 2023;
• Phase Three, which targets an additional 2GW of floating wind capacity to be in development by 2030 specifically for the production of green hydrogen; and
• the Future Framework for offshore wind post-2030.

• The National Marine Planning Framework, which was adopted by Government in May 2021, is Ireland’s first Marine Spatial Plan;
• Also in May 2021, the Government agreed to the Framework for Offshore Grid which established the phased transition towards a plan-led offshore system.
• In December 2021, the Maritime Area Planning (MAP) Act 2021 was enacted and established the legislative foundation for the new marine planning system.
• Under the MAP Act, a new Maritime Area Consent (MAC) regime for offshore energy projects was developed over 2022 by my Department to replace the foreshore lease system.
• Following a detailed assessment process, I awarded MACs to seven Phase One projects in December 2022. The MACs have been carefully designed to ensure the speedy progression of only the most viable offshore wind energy projects to meet Ireland’s energy targets, while protecting the State’s interest in its valuable maritime resource.
• A new agency, the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) will manage and award MACs for subsequent phases of offshore wind deployment. The board of MARA is fully appointed and the body is due to be formally established in the coming months.
• To provide a route to market for Phase One offshore wind projects with MACs, the Government approved the terms and conditions of the first Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS 1) in November 2022. The auction process is currently underway and final results will be available in June 2023.
• The draft spatial strategy for post-2030 offshore wind deployment, known as the draft Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan II (OREDP II) recently completing the public consultation stage.
• A number of other policies relevant to offshore wind have completed consultation stage, such as the update to the Interconnection policy and a Hydrogen Strategy. These policies will be published in the coming months.
• The final OREDPII, updated Interconnection policy and Hydrogen Strategy, in addition to other policy areas and analysis are feeding into a draft Future Framework for post-2030 Offshore Wind deployment which will be published by my Department for consultation by year end.