Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and her officials to the committee. I also believe these exemptions are quite reasonable and practical and I welcome them in their entirety. It is very pragmatic to have an exemption where the upgrade of a septic tank is required. There was considerable scaremongering and misinformation initially when the septic tank legislation was proposed and I am glad to see the Government's practical approach to remediation of septic tanks.

The need for other infrastructure such as telecommunication cables and electric charging points indicates the new technologies that are facing society. The Electricity Supply (Special Powers) Act 1926 provided that the ESB and others could erect poles and infrastructure. Rural electrification would never have happened and we would never have seen the developments we have seen in the country. I welcome today's proposals because we need extra electric vehicle charging points and new telecommunications infrastructure. I ask the Minister of State to clarify that only authorised bodies can install such infrastructure. Is there any right of consultation with such authorised bodies in advance of installing such infrastructure? It would be a good idea that these authorised bodies be required to consult with people who may have concerns. If they prove they have consulted and explained the need for such infrastructure that is well and good.

Before the Minister of State came in we had a discussion with the housing agency which now has responsibility for sustainable communities. Previous planning exemptions applied to micro wind turbines. There is potential for further renewable energy projects, not just with wind turbines but also with small hydro schemes. I mentioned one in Portlaw in County Waterford where in the 19th century more than 350 kW of hydroelectricity power was generated on the River Clodaigh and now no hydropower is being generated. In the future we should consider providing planning exemptions for such hydro schemes to encourage their development. Another hydro scheme being developed on the River Glasha in County Waterford has to go back through the planning process because there are issues with grid connection. The bureaucracy around it makes it very difficult. Perhaps this can be addressed through regulation or perhaps in the broader planning perspective. However, we need to try to improve access to renewable energy technologies such as hydro schemes. The Minister of State and her Department would have a role in that, as might this committee. People trying to develop sustainable energy face practical barriers and I am using hydroelectricity as an example.