#Budget2016 - Ocean energy research will receive a further €4.5 million boost in next year's Budget, as announced by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
The funding follows from last year's €10 million allocation to ocean energy research, after the publication of the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan in early 2014.
A total of €68 million has been allocated for energy efficiency and renewable energy in 2016 as revealed in Tuesday's Budget.
And a further €9 million is being provided for geoscience initiatives including the INFOMAR and TELLUS programmes, which will support expanded geoscience research in Ireland’s offshore and onshore.
INFOMAR researchers recently helped reveal the remains of World War I shipwrecks, some of which have not been seen since the boats went down a century ago.