The Irish Government has published a proposal for a National Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) aimed at guiding the future development of offshore renewable energy projects in Irish waters, the Department of the Environment announced on Friday.
The plan sets out a structured, plan-led approach to identifying areas suitable for both fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind developments, as well as designated zones for technology demonstration. The strategy forms part of Ireland’s broader commitment to deliver 20 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity by 2040, as outlined in the Programme for Government.
“This plan supports our decarbonisation efforts and our offshore renewables ambition of 20GW by 2040,” said Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment. “Having a single National DMAP for ORE in place to follow on from the Phase One projects and the South Coast DMAP for ORE published last year will provide greater certainty for our marine stakeholders and the renewables industry.”
The proposal builds on the South Coast DMAP, approved by the Oireachtas in October 2024. The first offshore wind auction under that plan — for the 900MW Tonn Nua project — is scheduled for November this year.
An accompanying Public Participation Statement outlines a two-year stakeholder engagement process that will begin in 2026, with the final plan expected to be submitted to the Oireachtas in 2027.
Minister of State for Fisheries and the Marine Timmy Dooley emphasised the strategic importance of renewable energy in the current geopolitical climate. “The continuing unpredictability of geopolitical events has made our dependency on fossil fuels unreliable and unaffordable,” he said. “These combined pressures reinforce the need for Ireland to accelerate its transition to indigenous and transformative renewable energy sources.”
The National DMAP aims to create a long-term framework to provide clarity for developers, investors, local communities, and environmental stakeholders as Ireland scales up offshore renewable capacity over the next 15 years.
