Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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195. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has conducted any research, internally or through a consultancy firm on the dangers posed by offshore wind turbines to marine wildlife and blue carbon ecosystems; if so, the cost of such consultancy reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49263/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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All offshore renewable energy (ORE) development plans and projects are subject to environmental assessment by law. At the plan level, these requirements relate to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) obligations in line with the requirements of EU Directive on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, and Appropriate Assessment (AA) obligations in line with the requirements of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. At the individual project level, these requirements relate to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) in line with the relevant legislative provisions of the Maritime Area Planning Act, 2021 (MAP Act).

In relation to Phase 2 offshore wind deployment and beyond, Ireland has moved to a State-led, plan-led system, which will inter alia ensure that developments continue to take place in a sustainable manner. As Ireland moves forward with our plan-led approach for ORE, Government is committed to significantly scaling up the collection of data on the maritime environment to support the ORE Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) establishment process and the development of associated environmental assessments.

A Proposal for a South Coast DMAP recently underwent public consultation ahead of the development of a Draft DMAP and associated draft SEA and AA environmental reports, due to be published later this year.