Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A question was asked on regulations or guidelines. What are the witnesses' views on that? On the moratorium and the legality, I would be happy enough to have it tested and have them propose that we all sign up to it in the Dáil. If the Attorney General says it is not legal we can bring in emergency guidelines for a distance of 2 km for six months until we get proper regulations in place. We do not have our hands tied behind our backs on that one, nor should we allow them to be. The Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act pushed through by previous Governments gives developers such as these significant power to sweep away local government and the local councillors to whom Deputy Cowen referred, who are at local meetings trying to deal with this. In County Laois these are going mainly outside the areas designated in the county development plan down on flat grasslands. Why are they doing that? I cannot measure wind, but areas such as Vicarstown and Ballybrittas would not strike me as the windiest parts of County Laois. Why are they going for those areas?