Cork TD: Government must 'ramp up' skills pipelines to ensure Ireland can meet climate targets 

Cork Harbour has a “key role in Ireland’s offshore renewable energy future," according to Sinn Féin TD for Cork South-Central Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire.

The Government’s Climate Action Plan 2023 places offshore wind power as a massive tool in their commitment to producing 80% of Ireland’s energy by 2030.

Teachta Ó Laoghaire said: “The south coast and the area around Cork Harbour have a key role in Ireland’s offshore renewable energy future, a greener power grid and energy independence."
However, Mr O Laoghaire highlighted the need for Ireland to increase its skilled workforce in the area of renewable energy if we are to have any chance of meeting the ambitious climate targets set out for the next decade or so. 

“To achieve [these targets], however, we need to ensure we have people with the skills required," he said. 

“To do that, we must ensure we are training enough people to meet the demand."

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment published Skills for Zero Carbon, produced by its expert group on future skills.

“It looked to assess in detail how many people, doing which kinds of jobs, we would need to deliver our renewable energy, retrofitting and electric vehicle targets by 2030," Mr Ó Laoghaire explained. 

“It estimated, for example, that by the end of 2030, we would need an additional 552 wind turbine technicians and more than 1,300 ship’s crew and officers for wind alone.

“It also estimated we needed more than 1,700 electrical engineers and more than 100 ecologists, as well as electrical fitters, plasterers and so on.

“We are simply not training anywhere near enough to meet the demand we hope to have by the end of 2030," he added.  

“Furthermore, we have no guarantee we can hold on to the ones we have. These people will be in high demand. 

"A skilled turbine technician, for example, has a skill set he or she can take almost anywhere.” 

Mr Ó Laoghaire stated that the Government must “ramp up” the skills pipelines within technological universities as well as apprenticeships to fill the range of roles needed.