Cork Harbour 'essential' to future of wind energy in Ireland

Cork South Central TD, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, said: "The potential for offshore wind in Cork is enormous in terms of reducing emissions but also in terms of creating jobs."

Eamon Ryan said: "More than anything else, we have a world-class deep-sea water port of 11 or 12 metres at the quayside." File photo

The scale of offshore wind is "beyond compare" with Cork Harbour "essential to this economic opportunity" because of existing and future infrastructure, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has said.

Environmental campaigners, as well as industry figures, have repeatedly hit out at what they perceive as the snail's pace development of offshore wind in Ireland in recent decades, despite having the geographical profile to be a world leader.