Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The policy of promoting renewable energy in Ireland has been in existence since the mid-1990s, when the alternative energy requirement schemes were introduced. High dependence on imported fossil fuels and the imperative to respond to the challenges of climate change have underpinned the switch to renewable energy. The policy has been reinforced at EU level, most recently with the decision to pursue a separate directive on renewable energy with a legally binding target at member state level. The target assigned to Ireland under the 2009 directive was that 16% of all energy consumption must be from renewable resources by 2020, with a minimum of 10% in the transport sector. The directive required each member state to complete a national renewable energy action plan, NREAP, setting out how the target would be achieved across the heat, electricity and transport sectors. Ireland indicated it would do this with 40% renewable electricity, 10% renewable transport and 12% renewable heat. The action plan also required member states to provide a technological breakdown. Ireland indicated in this that the bulk of its renewable electricity would be delivered by wind. This was underpinned by the Commission for Energy Regulation's Gate 3 direction of December 2008, which provided for sufficient grid connections to a specified list of projects, most of which were wind energy projects, for 40% renewable electricity to be achieved by 2020. The Grid 25 strategy and implementation plans undertaken by EirGrid underpin the Gate 3 roll-out. The Strategy for Renewable Energy 2012-2020, which I published last year, again highlighted the key role wind would play in Ireland’s renewable energy policy.

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At a national level, the NREAP, the Strategy for Renewable Energy 2012-2020, the Gate 3 grid connection direction issued by the CER and EirGrid’s Grid 25 implementation plans underpin the envisaged development of wind energy. At a local authority level, authorities are required to have regard to the wind energy planning guidelines produced by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government when compiling their development plans. Many local authorities produce wind energy strategies as part of this process. The planning process in Ireland provides extensive opportunity for public involvement, including a third party appeals process.

The Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and other Energy Infrastructure, which I published last July, recognises the need for and urgency of new energy infrastructure. It notes that the planning process provides the necessary framework for ensuring that all necessary standards are met and that consultation is built into the process. It also acknowledges the need for social acceptance and for energy project developers to examine appropriate means of building community gain considerations into project planning and budgeting.

In order to ensure that Ireland continues to meet its renewable energy targets while at the same time ensuring that wind energy does not have negative impacts on local communities, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in conjunction with my Department and other stakeholders, is undertaking a targeted review of certain aspects of the 20060 wind energy guidelines. This focused review is examining the manner in which the guidelines address key issues of community concern, such as noise proximity and shadow flicker. An initial consultation on the revision of the guidelines has been undertaken in recent weeks and all submissions will be considered prior to the publication of a proposed revision.

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