Ports Policy

Thursday, 2 July 2026

Questions (215, 232)

Pa Daly

Question:

215. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport to provide a detailed breakdown of the funding available to Ireland's ports to deliver ORE broken down by port, in tabular form. [50411/26]

View answer

Pa Daly

Question:

232. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the cost of capital funding that has been allocated to prepare Ireland’s ports for ORE in each of the years 2020 to date, in tabular form; the cost of capital funding that has been drawn down to prepare Ireland’s ports for ORE in each of the years 2020 to date, in tabular form; and the funding that has been allocated out to 2030, in tabular form. [50704/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Transport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 232 together.

The crucial role of ports in Ireland in facilitating the development of Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) in both Irish waters and beyond is recognised by my Department. In this regard, my Department published the Policy Statement on the facilitation of Offshore Renewable Energy by Commercial Ports in Ireland in December 2021.

Under the present National Ports Policy 2013, commercial state ports operate on an independent commercial basis and as such do not receive any direct capital funding from the Exchequer, and therefore funding has neither been allocated nor drawn down to prepare Ireland's ports for ORE. It is the responsibility of the port companies to engage with offshore wind developers and determine for themselves how they will service and support the offshore wind industry. However, a review of the National Ports Policy 2013 is ongoing and a Memorandum for Government on a draft text for a revised National Ports Policy was approved for public consultation by Cabinet on Tuesday, 16 June 2026. Officials in the Department of Transport are currently preparing for the public consultation process on the draft National Ports Policy text that will now follow.

Several of the Commercial State ports have been successful in applications for EU funding under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) fund. Under the 2023 Call for Funding, the Port of Cork Company was awarded €38.42 million for their two-berth development proposal at Ringaskiddy, phase one of which is currently under construction, expecting to be completed later this year. Rosslare Europort meanwhile received EU funding for studies pertaining to their ORE development and has since submitted a planning application to An Coimisiún Pleanála for a proposed ORE port expansion development.

Additionally, officials in my Department have worked closely with the Department of the Taoiseach in securing a €40 million contribution from the Shared Island Fund for ORE ports development on the island of Ireland and are currently reviewing options as to how this funding will be allocated.