The country's first offshore wind farm, a £200 million development involving up to 100 giant turbines generating enough power for 200,000 homes, is planned for the Kish Bank about 10 km off Dublin.
An Anglo-Irish consortium has just applied for a foreshore licence from the Department of the Marine to begin site investigation work on the Kish.
The group, which includes the ESB, the UK's PowerGen and the Kerry-based Saorgus Energy wind power company, plan to build the farm south of the Kish lighthouse.
The turbines will be about 60 metres high - twice the height of the lighthouse - and the blades will be 30 metres long.
The ESB's project manager with the group, Mr David O'Connor, said one turbine would produce about 2.5mw, or enough to power about 2,500 electric fires.
The public has until January 6th to object or make comments.