Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 April 2026
131. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the progress being made to date on the development of offshore wind energy potential; if sites are being identified; the infrastructure and regulatory impediments that remain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27556/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFive offshore wind projects off our East coast, with a planned capacity of 3.8 gigawatts, are at present in development and anticipated to be operational by the early 2030s. The Tonn Nua project, with a target capacity of 900 MW, in the South Coast DMAP is also advancing with the auction of a second site within the South Coast DMAP expected to take place in 2027.
My Department is also advancing the National ORE DMAP which aims to designate sites around Ireland’s entire sea area capable of delivering up to 15GW of Offshore Renewable Energy, to be in development by 2040. The delivery of this plan is a key priority for Government and has a target date of end of 2027 for publication.
Teams within my Department are currently carrying out extensive stakeholder engagement to identify the most advantageous sites for future development of ORE. A number of stakeholder workshops were carried out in early 2026 with representatives from ORE ports and industry groups, seafood and fishing, and environmental NGOs. Further in-person regional events will take place as the year progresses, with a full statutory public consultation to follow in 2027. My Department is also in the process of analysing all available marine data to ensure site selection has a solid evidence base and takes into account potential environmental impacts.
Given the complex nature of offshore wind projects, through the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce, officials from my Department and across other relevant Departments and agencies are actively working to address any potential barriers to offshore wind development in Ireland as they arise.
