Fishery and community liaison services appointed for National DMAP, shaping offshore renewable planning and fishing sector engagement
Government Confirms Liaison Roles For Offshore Renewable Planning
The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment has announced the appointment of dedicated Fishery Liaison and Community Liaison Services for Ireland’s National Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) for Offshore Renewable Energy, a process that will shape how offshore wind is developed in Irish waters.
The National DMAP provides the State’s spatial planning policy framework for offshore renewable energy, including the designation of offshore windfarm sites across Ireland’s maritime area. The plan is also positioned as a central tool in meeting energy security and climate action decarbonisation targets, objectives that have already raised concerns within parts of the fishing community about cumulative spatial pressure at sea.
Community Liaison Services for the DMAP will be led by Captain Brian Fitzgerald. Fisheries Liaison Services will be led by Mark O’Reilly of Fishery Liaisons Ltd, whose role will focus on engagement with the fishing sector and aquaculture interests throughout all stages of the DMAP process.
According to the Department, the Community Liaison Service will act as the main point of contact between coastal communities and the National DMAP project team. The Fisheries Liaison Service is tasked with working directly with the seafood sector to ensure its views and operational concerns are fed into the development of the plan, from early scoping through to final designation.
Workshops with marine stakeholders are scheduled for February and March 2026. The Department has confirmed that wider public and stakeholder consultation will run through 2026 and 2027 under the “DMAP Dialogue” process and the broader statutory public participation framework.
Project management of the National Offshore Renewable Energy DMAP has been awarded to MacCabe Durney Barnes, working in association with AARC. The Dublin-based firm will liaise with the DMAP project team and is expected to deliver the completed plan by the end of 2027. All appointments were made following a public procurement process led by the Department.
Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, said these appointments were intended to demonstrate that stakeholder engagement would be central to the process. He said the Public Participation Statement would be regularly updated and encouraged coastal communities and the seafood sector to engage with future consultation opportunities.
Minister of State Timmy Dooley said the liaison services would be “critical” to the development of the National DMAP for Offshore Renewable Energy and described them as underpinning a commitment to an open and transparent process. He added that Captain Fitzgerald and Mark O’Reilly brought experience in working with communities and stakeholders affected by marine development.
While the Department emphasises inclusion, fishing industry representatives are likely to scrutinise how effectively these liaison roles translate into influence, particularly where offshore wind development intersects with established fishing grounds and livelihoods.
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