142. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment further to the Arklow bank wind farm report (details supplied); the progress made to deliver offshore wind energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65764/26]

The Arklow Bank Wind Farm was constructed in 2003/2004 and consisted of seven turbines with a capacity of 25.2 MW. I am advised that a planning application was submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála in 2025 to decommission the site. I understand that the decommissioning is necessary as it has reached the end of its operating life and to allow space for the construction of the new 800 MW Arklow Bank Wind Farm II, being developed by SSE. The decommissioning is a commercial matter for the company concerned and the relevant competent authorities.

In terms of progress to deliver offshore wind, Five Phase 1 projects are in development off our east coast, with a planned capacity of 3.8 gigawatts (GW). An Coimisiún Pleanála is expected to make two determinations before the end of this year and three others to follow in the first half of 2027. Subject to planning consent, I anticipate that projects will be in construction over the next few years and operational in the early 2030s.

The Phase 2 Tonn Nua project off the coast of Waterford is progressing well since approval in 2025 and will add a further 900 megawatts of capacity, making a total 4.7 GW of planned capacity in development. Tonn Nua was the first of four sites to be brought to auction from the South Coast DMAP.

Building on the 4.7 gigawatts of projects already in development, I am planning for Ireland’s next offshore wind auction in 2027 of the 1 GW Lí Ban site, located off the coast of Waterford in the South Coast DMAP. Site surveys are already underway to inform auction participants and work on planning a connection to the onshore grid is nearing completion.