Donegal has ‘real potential’ in Ireland’s renewable future: Eamon Ryan

Eamon Ryan insists that Donegal has a ‘real advantage’ and will benefit from significant jobs boosts as Ireland moves to a ‘renewable future’.

The Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport addressed the Donegal County Council chamber in the County House in Lifford on Friday afternoon.

Minister Ryan told County Councillors and officials from the local authority that energy, transport and agriculture will be central to Ireland in the coming years.

“Our future will be wind, solar and energy storage,” he said. “In that, Donegal has a real advantage. It does also present challenges with the wind resources that we have and Donegal is already the larges concentration of wind farms.

“There have been contentious issues over the decades around wind issue, but the reality here is that we will switch to a renewable future and areas, counties and countries that do will do best and will economically thrive.”

The Climate Action Plan has committed to increasing the proportion of renewable electricity to up to 80% by 2030, including the increased target of 5GW of offshore wind energy - which is greater than Ireland’s total current wind capacity.

The development of offshore wind farms was highlighted by Minister Ryan. Last May, four offshore wind projects in Ireland were awarded: North Irish Sea Array, Dublin Array, Codling Wind Park and Sceirde Rocks.

“Donegal has real potential here,” he said. “This is about bringing industry to where the energy is. Rather than buying big grids everywhere, we need to bring jobs to where we have the potential and Donegal has that potential. I know how contentious that is, but there is real potential in going offshore. We are starting off in the east coast and there is a first phase project off Connemara.

“It will take time, but there is a real big prize in the deeper eaters off shore. Donegal has the strongest winds in the North West so how does the likes of Killybegs, Foyle Port and Greencastle benefit? Derry also has huge potential and that isn’t bad at all for Donegal. All the land in the shallow water at Foyle Port could be used for industrial development.”

Councillor Ciaran Brogan, the Fianna Fáil party whip on Donegal County Council, said the Donegal Trans-European Transport Network (Ten-T) will be a ‘game changer’ for the north west area.

“This is a huge county with a massive geographical spread,” Councillor Brogan said. “We don’t have the benefit of rail and we haven’t had. We are also somewhat unique in this North West City region, taking in Derry and Strabane, and we have 93 per cent of our border in Donegal with Northern counties. That has held us back, but we are trying now to get back to where other counties have been.

“We are up for all of those challenges and we want to work with you on them all. This is about changing the lives of many people. If we are given the resources, we will deliver.” up for

Ballyshannon-based Fine Gael Councillor Barry Sweeney hailed the development of cycling and walkway infrastructure.

There are currently eight Greenway projects under development in Donegal, five of which are wholly or partially. There is also the Lifford-Castlefin Greenway, the Burtonport-Letterkenny Greenway and the Barnesmore Greenway.

“We have a great active travel network with corridors and paths branching out in communities and countrysides and linking towns, villages and communities,” Councillor Sweeney said. “We are changing a mindset and are normalising simple activity.”

Minister Ryan said: “Greenways are 100 per cent for local people. Tourists will come to where the locals are. Greenways are for getting to the shop, the school, to Mass or for a pint. These aren’t just for the weekends dressed in lycra; they’re for every day use.”