Maritime area consents (MACs) have been issued by Minister for Environment Eamon Ryan for seven offshore renewable energy projects.

The seven projects awarded the new marine consents involve six Irish Sea projects - Oriel Wind Park; Arklow Bank II; Bray Bank; Kish Bank; North Irish Sea Array; Codling Wind Park (Codling I and Codling II) – and Skerd Rocks in north Galway Bay.

The seven projects can now begin their pre-planning application engagement with An Bord Pleanála, according to Ryan.

The award of a MAC also enables these phase one projects to participate in the Offshore Renewable Energy Support Scheme 1 ( ORESS 1), the name for the first auction for offshore wind under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS).

ORESS 1 is expected to procure approximately 2.5GW of electricity generating capacity, Ryan said.

Projects which have been granted a MAC will be required to apply for development permission and secure a route to market within set timeframes, ensuring project progression and maximising benefits to the State, he said.

Phase One projects are also required to pay an annual levy to the State – under the terms of their MACs.

“These first Maritime Area Consents [MACs] have been carefully drafted to promote the speedy and efficient deployment of offshore renewable energy, while ultimately protecting the State’s rich and unique maritime resource, in line with the principles of the National Marine Planning Framework,” Ryan said.

Only one small offshore wind farm – a 25MW (megawatt) offshore wind farm generating electrical power in the Wicklow region – has been constructed under the old foreshore regime prior to the enactment of the new Maritime Area Planning Act.

The Act provides for the establishment of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) – a dedicated maritime area agency which is a “priority for the Government”, Ryan’s department said.

“Work on the establishment of MARA is being led by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and will be in place in early 2023, as set out in the Climate Action Plan,” it said.

Several promised deadlines for the establishment of MARA – which will take over the licensing function for issuing MACs from the minister - have already passed.

“ In the interim, the legislation provides the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications with the powers to assess the first batch of MAC applications from a set of seven qualified Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) projects, known as the Phase One projects,” it explained.

In spite of the establishment of MARA, licensing for aquaculture activities will continue to be handled by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Foreshore Act 1933.

Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien has indicated this function will be transferred to MARA, and aquaculture licensing may be governed by the MAP legislation.