The Port of Waterford is a critical infrastructural asset and has very important potential to support Ireland's growing offshore renewable energy sector. This would obviously create jobs across the south east but it would also ensure the State can meet its climate action targets. I have met the chairman and representatives of the port several times over the last number of years. They have very ambitious targets and plans. They are looking for State support. Like Rosslare Europort, it is a very important asset for the south east. I know Rosslare Europort also has plans in respect of offshore renewable energy but the two ports complement each other because the Port of Waterford is seeking to support offshore wind turbine staging, assembly and maintenance operations. It is seeking to create a regional supply chain ecosystem for marine engineering, fabrication and component servicing. Investment in the port and in offshore renewable energy is important for job creation and skills development in renewable technologies and maritime logistics. I have also spoken to the president of the South East Technological University, SETU. There is collaboration between a number of State agencies in relation to the Port of Waterford as well. If you have an offshore renewable energy terminal and offshore renewable energy potential, with Rosslare Europort and the Port of Waterford playing their different parts in that, there will also be huge potential for research and development. That is where the links to SETU come in. Courses there could lead to the creation of very high-quality jobs in the south east for graduates coming out of this regional university. This is a no-brainer. When I met the port representatives, they were very enthusiastic about this. They want it to work. They know how important renewable energy is. Whether people like it or not, we all know that we are going to have to move away from dirty fuels. Renewable energy is the future. Smart countries, smart regions and smart investors are making those investments. The south east wants to be ahead of the curve and it wants to be part of that. The people I have spoken to in this area and in the port say that there is potential for hundreds of millions of euro of investment over a number of years if the right decisions are made. I am a bit concerned that other ports seem to be ahead on the funding curve. I am not quite sure why that is the case. A lot of work has gone into plans. I have received PowerPoint presentations and other presentations from the board. Together with our MEP, Kathleen Funchion, my party leader and I visited the port and got a similar presentation. The port is certainly up and at it, lobbying and looking for funding, but it does not seem to be getting the funding that other ports have got. Will the Minister of State respond to that point and set out his perspective on the Government's plans to support the Port of Waterford and, indeed, Rosslare Europort? The Government should look at the whole region, those two ports and linkages with SETU as a really big opportunity for the south east to be a leader in offshore renewable energy. The ports and university could complement one another, create high-quality jobs and assist the State in meeting its crucial climate action targets.

Sentiment score: 0.31

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I agree that the submission of a planning application is obviously a very important first step and is a very clear statement of intent by Waterford Port in this area. The Minister of State echoed some points I made earlier by saying that Waterford should work closely with Rosslare Europort, and, indeed, Cork Port, because the DMAP for that whole area obviously creates huge opportunities for offshore renewable energy. While the planning application is going through, it is not a case then for the Department or Government to sit back. Now is the time to start planning. I have been calling, first, for the Government to designate Waterford Port as a regional ORE hub. That could be done and it would be important. Again, it would a statement of intent by Government and by the Department. There is a working group in place and I support and welcome that, but at this point it needs to be established into a much clearer multi-agency task force that can start to co-ordinate the planning, infrastructural investment and stakeholder engagement. It also needs to look at what will be needed down the road, which is a targeted funding stream for all of the upgrades and the buildings the Minister of State cited in his contribution. It also allows SETU to work with the port to invest in skills and training programmes for the south east. Therefore, there is a lot of potential, but the potential will only be realised if all of the stakeholders are working to a plan, which is why having a task force, with all of those stakeholders working to a strategy, makes sense. My fear is that the Government will say there is a planning application submitted and it will wait and see what happens with that before it comes to look at it. We may lose time. From my perspective, now is the time to take the bull by the horns. Let us get the work done and make sure, if the planning application is successful, that we can then immediately secure the funding and start the works needed.

Sentiment score: 0.18

It is not so long ago.

Sentiment score: 0.00