Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is a very complex issue. It arises out of a personal situation and obviously we are not here to adjudicate on such a situation or a case between a county council and An Bord Pleanála and an individual. It also points to some policy questions that have been raised that would be important for us to examine further. Obviously, as a committee, we do not have the power to intervene or to stop any development going ahead which has been granted planning permission. I think the questions raised warrant further investigation by us. The suggestion by the secretariat that we seek further clarification and information from Galway County Council on the number of issues raised around how the planning permission was granted, whether it can justify the planning permission granted in the context of the questions the petitioner has raised about public consultation and the national wind strategy etc., is extremely important. This should be done by the committee because if there is a lacuna in the legislation in regard to wind energy, planning and so on, as a test case, it would highlight the issue for other individuals who may find themselves in a similar situation so that we could best inform the relevant Ministers as to how any legislation needs to framed going forward.