Implementation of the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC-DMAP) for Offshore Renewable Energy

The South Coast DMAP (SC-DMAP) is Ireland's first ever marine spatial plan for renewable energy, and it was approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas in October 2024. It identifies 4 maritime areas off the south coast in which the development of fixed offshore renewable energy (ORE) is proposed to take place over the next decade.

The SC-DMAP includes a suite of policy objectives which will collectively support and guide implementation, such as the protection of biodiversity, the marine environment, and the promotion of co-existence between ORE and other marine activities.

Any ORE developments proposed in the identified areas will be required to obtain the requisite consents for their projects and undergo the necessary project level environmental assessments.

Following the Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS) auction, Helvic Head Offshore Wind DAC, a joint venture partnership between ESB and Denmark-based renewable energy developer Ørsted, were announced as the auction winner for Site A – Tonn Nua. Further information on the Tonn Nua auction results can be found on the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment's website.

It is proposed that further ORE developments will take place in the additional 3 Maritime Areas, for deployments beyond 2030.

As the Competent Authority for the SC-DMAP, the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment will oversee the governance structure for the SC-DMAP and will be supported in this role by the SC-DMAP Implementation Programme Body (IPB).

The SC-DMAP Implementation Programme Body (IPB) will facilitate collaboration among various stakeholders and partners to oversee the effective implementation of the SC-DMAP and ensure that environmental and community considerations are integrated into the decision-making process.

The Marine Ecosystems and Ornithology (MEO) Working Group will provide expertise on the Marine Environment and ensure these considerations are adequately integrated into the SC-DMAP development processes. The MEO Working Group advise on the scope of the Regional Level Surveys (RLS) and make a recommendation to the IPB for their approval and finalisation.

An Ecosystems and Implementation Plan (EIP) Subgroup has been established under the MEO Working Group, to support the development of an implementation report, drafted in consultation with key partners and stakeholders involved in the implementation process. This subgroup will also support the development of an Ecosystems Services Map, and a dedicated offshore wind-maritime applied research programme in partnership with the Marine Institute.

The Technical Working Group was established on a phased basis, with a focus in Phase One on the transmission infrastructure required for the SC-DMAP. In Phase Two, which commenced in Q1 2026, the group has been expanded to broader support national policy and to facilitate other enabling infrastructure, such as port developments in the SC-DMAP area, to accommodate future offshore wind projects.

A Data Project Working Group, which includes a variety of marine data stakeholders, has also been established within the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE). The purpose of this group is to complete a comprehensive review of available data on Ireland's maritime area and arrange the collection of data required for the SC-DMAP.

While this group is separate to the main governance structures, it will make a recommendation to the SC-DMAP IPB on the appropriate mechanism identified to support and facilitate a common shared data repository.

The implementation of the SC-DMAP involves working in collaboration with key stakeholders to collectively support and guide the implementation of the plan. SC-DMAP stakeholders include the MARA, EirGrid, relevant industry bodies, the Marine Institute, local communities and environmental NGOs and other stakeholders.

Cross-government engagement is continuing through important frameworks such as the MSP Advisory Group, Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce (OWDT) and Project Ireland Marine 2040.

Community Liaison and Fisheries Liaison Services support ongoing engagement with coastal communities, fishers and representative organisations in relation to the SC-DMAP. Relevant stakeholders may also be invited to present or participate in meetings of the SC-DMAP IPB or any of the working groups as requested by the Chairperson of each group.

As part of the implementation of the SC-DMAP, GIS analysis was commissioned by DCEE to action co-existence policy objectives with the shipping sector. Anatec Limited were contracted to undertake a high-level analysis of 12 months of vessel traffic data within the SC- DMAP area to identify areas of high vessel density and potential areas of constraint. Vessels were recorded on the Automatic Identification System (AIS), via terrestrial and satellite receivers over the entirety of 2023.

Anatec's final report, South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan High-Level Vessel Activity Review, is available below.

Implementation Plan

'Implementing the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan – An Oversight and Progress Report' is currently being drafted and will encompass contributions from each of the SC-DMAP working groups and subgroups, as well as collaborations with key partners involved in the implementation process. Further engagement with stakeholder groups is taking place over the coming weeks and it is expected that the report will be published here once finalised and presented to the Minister.

Regional Level Surveys

Work is also underway on the is scoping of the Regional Level Surveys (RLS), which will inform the appropriate scale and location of proposed ORE developments within Maritime Areas B, C and D. Once the RLS are finalised by the MEO Working Group and approved by the IPB they will be published in the coming months.

Data from the output of the Regional Level Surveys will then be made available through the SC-DMAP Data Repository for use by all government departments, State bodies, project applicants, environmental NGOs, and the public generally.