Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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200. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on offshore wind energy projects off the Irish coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47437/25]

Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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201. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to provide an update on offshore wind energy projects off the Dublin coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47459/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 201 together.

Five offshore wind projects are presently in development off our East Coast. These projects account for approximately 3,700 megawatts of generating capacity, more than 60% of our present peak electricity demand. Applications for planning consent for all five projects are with An Coimisiún Pleanála. Subject to planning consent, I would anticipate that the projects will be in construction by 2030 and operational by the early 2030s.

Separately, an offshore wind auction process for the 900 megawatt Tonn Nua site off our South Coast is due to commence on 22 September and be awarded by 9 December. This site is within the South Coast DMAP. The Tonn Nua project is expected to be operational by 2034, subject to planning consent.

I am making arrangements to bring the remaining three offshore wind South Coast DMAP sites to market, ensuring a consistent pipeline of offshore developments will take place over the coming years. A further pipeline of development sites within the National DMAP will follow from 2028 onwards.