Ireland is in danger of not meeting its own targets for offshore wind installations unless there is greater ambition from all Government Departments according to Dublin’s Green MEP Ciarán Cuffe. Speaking at the ‘Harnessing Our Ocean Energy’ conference, he warned that a joined-up approach is needed if Ireland is to meet the target of 3.5GW Offshore Wind Power by 2030 set out in its own 2019 Climate Action Plan.Many key points were raised in the webinar. Minister Eamon Ryan stated the whole area of Maritime Planning needs to be sustainable and integrated (into the development of offshore renewables). Eddie O’Connor of Mainstream Renewable Power highlighted capacity issues for servicing Greater Dublin with renewable electricity. He stated it will require significant investment from Eirgrid. Meanwhile, Alice Whittaker of Philip Lee solicitors warned that judges see marine legislation as an untidy patchwork, and may not be compliant with the Aarhus Directive.Ciarán Cuffe Green Party MEP for Dublin said,“Experts in the fields of energy, habitat protection and law told us of the challenges and opportunities in generating electricity off our coasts. The legislation in this area is complex and reforms are long overdue. The 1933 Foreshore Act managed the extraction of sand from our shores, and the harvesting of seaweed and oysters but needs updating for the challenges of the twenty-first century. Ocean energy is necessary if we are to reach our goals under the European Green Deal. In Ireland, we need joined-up thinking to both protect our habitats and fishing grounds, as well as meet our offshore targets for renewable electricity produced at sea". “The National Parks and Wildlife Service needs adequate staffing to ensure we comply with requirements under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. We need proper baseline data so that we can place offshore wind farms and cables in the right locations. The UK and other countries are forging ahead with offshore wind, and we can, and should be doing the same”. “Ocean energy will help Ireland meet its climate targets and could mean a jobs boost. However, as we heard from Peter Le Froy of RWE, it is essential that only developers with competence should be awarded consents for offshore wind farms, rather than speculators. I hope that this will be addressed in the forthcoming Marine Planning and Development Management Bill”.“We heard today from developers who are keen to help Ireland reach its climate targets, and we need to act now if we are to harness the power of offshore wind in meeting our climate goals. I am working hard in the European Parliament on the ‘Fit for 55’ package of legislative measures to achieve this, but we also need to update our legislation here in Ireland”.Speakers included Eamon Ryan TD the Minister for Environment, Matthieu Ballu Senior Advisor on Renewables and Energy System with the European Commission, Alice Whittaker of Philip Lee Solicitors, Jutta Paulus German Greens/EFA MEP, Patricia Comiskey of SEAI, Fintan Kelly of Birdwatch Ireland, and Eddie O'Connor of Mainstream Renewable Power.Posted May 6 2021