Amazon has submitted a planning application for a 38.5 km subsea fibre optic cable between Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, and Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Amazon MCS Ireland Ltd lodged the application on 22 April 2026 with An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) for the Beaufort Subsea Fibre Optic Cable System. The cable, measuring 33 mm in diameter, will be buried at an average depth of approximately 1.5 metres and is designed with an operational life of 35 years.
The Beaufort system would replace the ESAT-1 cable, which was first installed off Co. Wexford in 1999 and reached the end of its operational lifespan in 2024. The cable route was mapped to avoid the Saltee Islands Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and prevent disturbances to sensitive habitats.
Amazon has been engaging with the Kilmore Quay community since 2022, including meetings with Wexford County Council, local TDs, councillors, and the Kilmore Quay Community Development Association. The company has provided over €125,000 in funding to 15 separate local projects and is in discussions for further impact funding in 2026.
Installation will involve a specialist vessel picking up the cable end at Kilmore Quay at a depth of 15 metres. The jointing process will take approximately 18 to 24 hours, followed by burial using a remotely operated burial tool.
ACP is expected to make a ruling on the application by the end of 2026. Public submissions must be received by 5:30 pm on 18 June 2026, accompanied by a €50 fee.
The Beaufort cable system was originally jointly developed by Amazon Web Services and Vodafone, with landings at Kilmore Quay, Bude in England, and Port Eynon in Wales. A foreshore license for the cable was applied for on May 16, 2022, and granted on December 22, 2023, by the Minister for the Environment, Climate, and Communications, covering the nearshore section.
Councillor Jim Codd raised concerns in October 2024 about the lack of transparency regarding community benefits from the cable, questioning “How much are they paying?” and calling for an investigation.
District Manager Nóirín Cummins stated at the Rosslare Municipal District meeting that communities within 10 km of the project are invited to apply for grants, with amounts depending on energy created.
Separately, on 20 April 2026, Cork County Council granted planning permission for Amazon’s Fastnet transatlantic cable landing station at Tullyneasky West, near Clonakilty, Co. Cork. That cable system is Amazon’s first wholly owned transatlantic subsea cable, connecting Maryland in the US to Co. Cork, with a design capacity exceeding 320 Tbps and expected to be operational by 2028.