Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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56. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 228 of 19 September 2024, the criteria to be used by the European Investment Bank (EIB) in the assessing of the ports identified to them; if a geographical balance has been achieved with the five ports identified, given that his Department has asked the EIB to ‘assess capacity, demand and financing strategies required for the development of offshore renewable energy’; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39633/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As the Deputy is aware, in March of this year my Department signed an advisory agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB). The assignment will assess capacity, demand and financing strategies required for the development of offshore renewable energy (ORE) port infrastructure, which is crucial for the deployment, construction, and long-term operation and maintenance of offshore wind projects in Irish waters.

Ireland aims to achieve 80% of its electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030, with 5 gigawatts attributable to offshore wind, and this advisory assignment represents a crucial step towards facilitating these targets. Currently, no Irish ports have developed the appropriate port infrastructure to facilitate the construction of the forthcoming ORE projects. The Government is cognisant of the important role Irish ports will play in enabling the delivery of its climate targets, through the facilitation of the deployment, construction and long-term operation of offshore wind projects and it is for this reason my Department signed the advisory agreement with the EIB.

The selection of the five ports for inclusion in the Advisory work was entirely the responsibility of the EIB, and my Department had no role in the selection process. However, the ports selected for the case studies are intended to be representative of the varying characteristics and ownership structures of ports in Ireland. The geographical location of these ports was also a consideration in their selection. It is important to note however, those considered for the assignment all had project proposals for the large scale infrastructure development in their ports to allow for the deployment of ORE projects in Irish waters.

Due to commercial sensitivities, the identity of these five individual ports will not be publicised by my Department or the EIB. However, as per the advisory agreement, the Department will receive an overarching report detailing key takeaways from the bilateral analyses, without identifying information about each of the ports.

The advisory assignment will be critical in developing the evidence base for my Department with regard to potential demand and capacity of the ORE market and the financial viability of ORE port infrastructure projects.