Offshore Wind Energy Clearing House

The objective of the Offshore Wind Energy Clearing House is to resolve identified impediments to the timely delivery of offshore renewable energy. It will support and reinforce the work of the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce by focusing on issues that cannot be resolved at the Taskforce level and that require an additional high-level intervention from the centre of Government.

The Clearing House will:

• Focus, in the immediate term, on the delivery of Phase 1 projects and projects within the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) needed to deliver our 5GW 2030 target;
• receive updates on the work of the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce, including any recommendations by the Taskforce of specific issues to be considered by the Clearing House;
• identify, based on these recommendations and inputs from its members, barriers to delivery which require consideration by the Clearing House;
• report regularly on progress to the Cabinet Committee on Climate Action, Environment and Energy.

The Clearing House will:

• meet on a quarterly basis;
• develop and approve its own work programme;
• publish its agenda and minutes on a regular basis.

The Clearing House will not have any role, directly or indirectly, in relation to decisions on individual projects.

The Offshore Wind Energy Clearing House will be chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach and members will include:

• Secretaries General from the Departments of:
  • Agriculture, Food and the Marine;
  • Climate, Energy and the Environment;
  • Enterprise, Tourism and Employment;
  • Further, Higher Education, Innovation and Science;
  • Housing Local Government and Heritage;
  • Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation;
  • Transport.
• Representatives from Wind Energy Ireland, Marine Renewable Industry Association, Renewable Energy Ireland and NOW Ireland.

Other relevant organisations from the public and private sectors will be invited to participate in meetings of the Clearing House where appropriate and relevant to the agenda.