Session 1 Sinead Dooley - SEAI National Energy Research & Policy Conference 2022

1. Our Public Engagement Journey
Joining the Dots – an all of society
approach to our energy transition
Sinéad Dooley
Head of Public Engagement

2. 2
REGULATION
(EU) No
347/2013 -
guidelines for
trans-European
energy
infrastructure
2020
2019
2017
2015
2014
2012
2008
Internal
External
Engagement journey to date
2013

3. Policy Framework

4. It is only with public
support that we can
secure a sustainable
supply of electricity for
the next generation.

5. Social
Acceptance
Work towards solutions
that have landowner and
public support
Engagement
Capacity
Increase our engagement
capacity and invest in our
people and tools.
Partnerships
Renew and revitalise our
existing alliances – and
develop new ones.
• Consider the social
acceptability of each solution
• Improve participation and
engagement methods
• Enhance community
benefits.
• Deliver ambitious education
and information campaigns.
• Improve our approach to
landowner engagement
• Review and update our
processes and outputs
• Restructure our teams with a
greater focus on engagement.
• Increase our engagement
capacity by adding personnel.
• Carry out independent
evaluation and certification of
our engagement every year.
• Expand our engagement tool-
kit.
• Work with Government on a
multi-partner campaign about
climate action to support public
policy.
• Support and encourage the
energy sector to work together
more effectively.
• Strengthen relationships with
community organisations.
• Renew and develop new
alliances with enabling
organisations.

6. New Public
Engagement
Strategy
Early Establishment
of Community
Forums
Co-delivery of
Community Benefit
• Local implementation
strategy
• Community stream
• Biodiversity stream
• Sustainability stream
• Matched funding
• At pre-concept stage
• Local community
representatives
• Co-design activities
• Local Insight & Knowledge
• Social acceptance / licence
• Partnerships
• Community benefit
• Capacity building
• Deliberative processes
Engagement Journey

7. Community Forums
Ensure communities are at
the heart of the decision
making over the project
lifetime.
Provide relevant input and
key local knowledge to assist
the project team in decision
making at the earliest
opportunity.
Work with community
groups and organisations to
build trust, identify local
needs, grow partnerships
and deliver on local projects.
Provide governance and
transparency around the
implementation of
Community Benefit.
Receive regular updates from
EirGrid team members on
project delivery ensuring
open and transparent two-
way communication.
Advise EirGrid on the most
effective approach to
communicating feedback and
key milestones to the wider
community.

8. Consultation and Engagement Forums on
Powering Up Dublin Programme
Dublin Infrastructure
Forum
Community Industry
Community Councils Chambers of Commerce
Public Participation Networks
Landowners
Community Forums Dublin Town / BIDs
Business Interest Groups
Public Transport Infrastructure
Utilities
Local Authorities
Planning and Environment
Enterprise Development and Tourism Offshore
Large Energy Users
Customers
Generators
Business
Setup May 2022 First meeting September 2022 following stakeholder awareness raising June – August 2022.
Forums will meet quarterly at programme level and will facilitate more local forums at geographical level.

9. Progress on engagement
Rollout of Community Forums
Laois Kilkenny
Clashavoon Dunmanway
Celtic Interconnector
Kildare Meath
North Connacht
North Dublin East Meath
Greater Dublin Area
Strategic Partnerships
Deliberative Engagement
▪ Co-design of Routing
Principles.
▪ Deliberative Dialogue
▪ Top Trump Forums.

10. Shaping Our Electricity Future
10

11. Shaping Our Electricity Future Engagement Roadmap
Policy and Politics
•Engage for
Better Outcomes
for All
•Local Authority
Rollout
•AILG Future
Energy Needs
Conference
•EU Collaboration
and
Engagement
Working Group
•COP26
Rural / Regional
Communities
•Regional
Citizen’s Energy
Assemblies
•Our Energy
Future Project
(RGI / FOE)
•Energy
Advocates /
Champions
•Collaborate with
SEAI
Young People
•Activation
programme
delivered locally
with youth
partner.
•EirGrid Young
Energy Citizen of
the year awards.
Skills and
Transition
•Collaborate with
NGOs and
stakeholders to
identify skills
gap in
Renewable
Development.
•Support
upskilling and
apprenticeships
at regional level.
•Energy Tourism
Initiative
Landowners
•Landowner
workshop series
on energy
(/climate)
transition and
Biodiversity
Initiatives
•Explore
expansion of
Community
Benefit to
support
transition
projects.
Communications
•EirGrid
Awareness
Raising
Campaign
•EirGrid
Knowledge Hub
•Focus on
Regional Media
campaigns

13. Recommendations for Policy & Practice
Roles dedicated to
engagement in academia to
support and facilitate multi-
stakeholder collaborations
and the engaged research
process
Evaluating the impacts of
engaged research is an
important emerging area of
research that requires more
funding
Seed funding for
collaborations on pilot
projects involving multiple
stakeholders should be
made more readily
available via government
departments, agencies
and local authorities –
with minimal red tape