Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
149. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the steps his Department is taking to accelerate the delivery of offshore wind energy projects, including grid connection, planning timelines and port infrastructure readiness; the key barriers currently delaying deployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73231/25]
View answerGovernment is committed to having 5 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity in development by 2030, with a longer-range target of 20 gigawatts by 2040.
Five offshore wind projects off our East coast, with planned capacity of 3.8 gigawatts, are presently in development, with planning determinations anticipated by the end of 2026. I anticipate these projects being in construction by 2030 and operational by 2031/32.
Earlier this month, I announced that a consortium of ESB and Orsted had won my Department’s second offshore wind auction and will be developing a 900-megawatt project off the coast of Waterford. This project was the first of four to be brought to auction from the South Coast DMAP, designated by the Oireachtas in October 2024 for offshore wind development off the coasts of Cork, Waterford and Wexford.
I am presently developing proposals for an auction of the second site, Lí Ban, with potential capacity of up to 1.5 GW. My Department is working closely with Eirgrid to develop grid connection options and is separately commissioning surveys of the Lí Ban site to inform the auction. The remaining sites will follow soon after.
In September, my Department started the process of developing a National DMAP that will designate sufficient additional sites around our coast to deliver on the 2040 target of 20 GW. This process will complete by the end of 2027.
In relation to port capacity, new dedicated offshore wind port infrastructure is already in construction at the Port of Cork and will be ready for use in 2026, well in advance of expected demand. Separately, the Ports of Waterford, Rosslare, Shannon Foynes and Cork (Phase 2) all have further plans for new port facilities in the consenting system.
In relation to planning, my Department is working closely with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to transpose the Renewable Energy Directive III and to accelerate the delivery of offshore wind by further streamlining the maritime development consent system. This includes the introduction of mandatory timelines for decisions by An Coimisúin Pleanála and other consenting bodies.
