Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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138. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the work of the Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce and the development of a policy framework to ensure a regional balance and distribution of renewable power; the funding allocated to the taskforce, and drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60035/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Accelerating Renewable Electricity (ARE) Taskforce ensures a cohesive approach to policymaking by identifying and prioritising the required policies needed to achieve our onshore renewable electricity targets and removing or minimising any barriers to the greatest extent possible. The ARE Taskforce does not have its own budget or source of funding. Each Government Department and State Body active in the ARE Taskforce is responsible for the allocation and management of their own budget.

The ARE Taskforce Annual Summary Report 2024/2025 and Key Actions 2025/2026 was published in July. This report details some recent key achievements across the onshore renewable electricity landscape and presents the key actions for each of the taskforce working groups for 2025/2026. Notable achievements include the inclusion of regional renewable electricity capacities in the revised National Planning Framework, the publication of the new Electricity Connection Policy for Generation and System Services, and the completion of RESS auctions in 2024 and 2025.

Under the aegis of the ARE Taskforce, work is underway on delivering a regional balance in the distribution of renewable electricity generation. The First Revision of the National Planning Framework (NPF), published in April, includes Regional Renewable Electricity Capacity Allocations for solar and onshore wind, which will allow for the strategic planning of renewable technologies and deliver an equitable regional balance in the distribution of infrastructure.

Further to the publication of the revised NPF, each Regional Assembly is required to commence a revision of their Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES). As part of this RSES revision, Regional Assemblies need to adopt a Regional Renewable Energy Strategy (RRES). These RRES will translate the regional allocations into Local Authority-level targets, which will inform City and County Development Plans, ensuring alignment between local plans and national policy. Officials from my Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland are actively working with our three Regional Assemblies to support them in this work.