Carey confident off-shore development at Moneypoint will progress

*Joe Carey. Photograph: Joe Buckley

Confidence has been expressed by Clare TD, Joe Carey (FG) that plans to develop an offshore wind project off Moneypoint in west Clare will continue to make progress.

This follows the announcement from Equinor, the ESB’s partner on the Green Atlantic project, that they are withdrawing from their involvement in offshore wind development in Ireland due to concerns that the regulatory process was proving time consuming.

Deputy Carey told The Clare Echo that Equinor’s withdrawal was a concern but he voiced his confidence that the Moneypoint project will not be derailed. “The ESB has unequivocally committed to ensuring that the Moneypoint offshore project will not be affected by this development. I will however continue to keep this project to the forefront of government planning”.

He said that the Moneypoint project is “essential both in terms of local employment opportunities and with regard to ensuring that Ireland’s plans to develop offshore wind electricity generation capacity off the coast of Ireland”.