Iarnród Éireann said it will lodge a planning application next week for the €220 million Rosslare Offshore Renewable Energy Hub in Co. Wexford, a project intended to serve as Ireland’s main base for the construction, operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms in the Irish and Celtic Seas.
The company said the development is expected to create about 2,000 long-term jobs and provide capacity to support the installation of between 0.5 gigawatts (GW) and 1 GW of offshore wind each year.
Subject to planning approval and funding, construction is scheduled to begin in early 2027, with completion targeted for early 2029.
The 80-hectare project includes two heavy-lift berths, storage, marshalling and assembly areas, a 64-berth small boat harbour, new access roads, utilities and facilities for local marine users. Plans also cover 50 hectares of dredging and 32 hectares of land reclamation, including 19.7 hectares of new port lands.
“The Rosslare ORE Hub marks a once in a generation investment in Ireland’s clean energy future,” said Mary Considine, chief executive of Iarnród Éireann.
Glenn Carr, director of commercial business units at the company, said: “Lodging planning for Rosslare’s ORE Hub is a significant milestone in the development of this critical piece of infrastructure.”
The project has been co-funded to the planning stage by the EU Connecting Europe Facility.
