Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It seems that when it comes to Sinn Féin, this does not apply. All the focus on the export of wind energy is crazy and misleading. The reality is that we are building wind farms at such a slow rate each year that we will do well to meet our legally binding domestic renewable energy targets by 2020. The Bill ignores the fact that the European Union is moving towards a single electricity market, which envisages the movement of electricity generated from one member state to another. This should assist with energy security and price. We already operate a single electricity market with Northern Ireland, but this Bill is totally divorced from this reality.

The Bill refers to set back distances, but what technical or engineering rationale or evidence explains the set back distances Sinn Féin has come up with? Surely, also, there are other factors to be taken into account apart from set back distances. For example, if there is a hill between my house and a turbine, there may be no visual amenity impact, compared to the impact on someone whose home may be the same distance from the turbine as mine as the crow flies but over flat land. Surely this and other factors should be taken into account rather than set back distance alone. I know people in my constituency who live far closer than 500 m to a wind farm and who are happy to do so. Therefore, I do not accept that set back distance is the only way to go.

The Bill stipulates that the standard for noise limits from wind turbines should not exceed those specified in the World Health Organization guidelines for community noise. Has Sinn Féin considered the fact that these noise limits are already included in the 2006 wind energy guidelines? Instead of being honest with the many people around the country who have understandable concerns and fears about wind farms and other energy infrastructure being constructed in their communities, Sinn Féin is capitalising on their fears or misery, all in the interest of political gain from its populist position.

Sinn Féin's national policy is pro-wind, yet it is against every proposed wind farm project around the country.

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