Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The legislation is a response to the controversy that has taken place across the midlands in regard to wind turbine development. There are proposals to develop industrial-style wind farms.

The most significant development in recent months is the decision by the British Government not to go ahead with the agreement with the State for the purchase of the energy produced. That is probably what will save the communities across the Midlands and will have the biggest impact, because it was wrong.

I believe the Bill should go further with regard to noise and shadow flicker. The proposers of wind farm developments should model their developments in such a way that a turbine is not placed within a distance of a house that could cause noise or shadow flicker to affect it. Distances can be set such as ten times the turbine height, but given the topography of the land, that could still provide for flicker and noise. Developers should be able to model those conditions and assure local communities that there will not be any noise or flicker. That should be in the regulations, rather than set distances. Obviously, it will be different for each development, depending on the topography, but that should be developed.

The Bill should also state that the environmental impact assessment should be carried out by the local authority independently of the development, with the developer paying the cost. I have yet to read an environmental impact assessment that stated that a development should not go ahead due to its impact on the area, because they are paid for by the developers. He who pays the piper calls the tune; therefore, the report will always state that the development can go ahead and that it will not have an impact on the environment. That is something that should be in law, and I believe it is European Union law. The Government involved itself in some gymnastics about a year and a half ago in interpreting EU law to prevent that from being done. It should be in the legislation, and if the Bill moves forward to Committee Stage, I will be tabling amendments in that regard.

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