Marine regulator accused of performance ‘failure’ amid wind farm planning delays

Ireland's government has accused the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (Mara) of "sustained underperformance" and "clear failure to meet commitments," leading to significant delays in delivering offshore renewable energy projects.

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sustained underperformance … the consequences of which have been significant

Minister for the Environment Darragh O’Brien wrote to Mara in February, criticizing its 2025 performance and demanding a new plan to improve its delivery of decisions. The government emphasizes breaking down barriers to infrastructure, particularly in green energy, as Ireland lags behind other nations in offshore wind farm capacity. The country's only operational offshore wind farm, Arklow Bank, was built over 20 years ago.

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clear failure to meet Mara’s own commitments

O’Brien warned that project delivery delays increase costs, hinder the provision of necessary infrastructure for society and the economy, and pose a risk to Ireland's competitiveness and attractiveness for foreign direct investment. He stated that "continued underperformance is not an option."

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Continued underperformance is not an option

In response, Mara said it is on track to meet higher targets for 2026 and is streamlining decision-making processes. The authority pointed to reduced average waiting times for new consents and licenses by over 30 percent through process improvements, citing the Greater Dublin Drainage project as an example of a decision made within eight weeks. Mara acknowledged its role as a young organization refining its processes and its "deep consciousness" of the need for timely and transparent delivery.

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Delays to project delivery result in higher costs and hamper our ability to provide the necessary infrastructure to service a modern society and economy.