Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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A new plan-led approach to offshore renewable energy was adopted by Government and approved by the Oireachtas in May 2023. Central to this plan-led approach is the requirement that all future offshore wind developments in Ireland, not already granted a Maritime Area Consent, must be situated in marine areas identified by the State for the purpose of generating energy, and located within Designated Maritime Area Plans, or DMAPs.

As adopted by Government and approved by the Oireachtas, Ireland’s first offshore renewable energy DMAP is to be located off the South Coast, and will identify suitable marine areas for future deployments of fixed offshore wind to deploy by the end of this decade and beyond 2030. This will include identification of a marine area for a 900 MW development by the winner of Ireland’s second offshore wind auction, known as ORESS 2.1.

A draft South Coast DMAP is currently being prepared by my officials and will be published in the coming weeks alongside a draft Strategic Environmental Assessment and draft Appropriate Assessment carried out on the DMAP. This will commence a six-week period of comprehensive public consultation, to include in-person events along the South Coast. This follows on from almost 10 weeks of engagement from August to October 2023.

Contingent on the outcome of the upcoming consultation and subsequent Oireachtas approval, the formal establishment of the South Coast DMAP will facilitate the start of the ORESS 2.1 auction process in late 2024.