Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that the Government is not opposing the Bill. Hopefully the reason is genuine and is not connected to the local elections. Its agreement to the set back distances and the provisions relating to noise and shadow flicker are welcome. We do not seem to have a developed energy strategy - not that it is easy to have one, given that so many things have been changing so fast in the past few years. Before we proceed with building more wind turbines on land in particular, we have to give serious consideration to other options, given the concern about the volatility of wind power. In view of the fact that we are on an island with 3,000 miles of Atlantic to the west, it is strange that we consider wave power as something beyond affordability. It deserves further research.

There is little doubt that the Aarhus Convention was contravened with regard to the proposed wind turbines in the midlands. The convention demands access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice. The level of consultation in this process is very weak. It would be nice if the Government were to change its stance and give people more say in what happens in their communities. The same topic is relevant to the EirGrid project. Too often, significant decisions seem to be made and one wonders if the Government believes what it is doing is for the best, as it appears sometimes to be driven by pressure from big business. This is not always the case, but in this case there are some grounds for concern. More thought needs to be given to this project rather than giving in to the pressure of some serious players.

Another issue is the engagement of Statoil and Norway in the wind project. They are doing some work with Scotland. They are working at sea using a process that does not require the turbines to be anchored to the sea bed, which is an expensive system. We have a significant resource in the seas around the west coast, and this project should be considered before we destroy the landscape for all and sundry.

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