Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The gist of the matter I wish to raise is slightly different. I do not know if the Minister of State has the wording of it but I have asked that the position regarding the community fund in respect of windfarm projects, transmission projects for erecting pylons and high powered electricity lines and all other energy infrastructure would be put on a statutory basis and that part of the planning code would allow local authorities to make it a condition of planning permission that communities would benefit. That is not currently happening vis-à-vis the local authorities.

The background to this, and this is perhaps from where Deputy Fleming is coming on this issue, is that there is a great deal of negative press about various proposed energy infrastructure developments, be they windfarms or transmission lines. Many such developments gives rise to chaos in communities. There is a great deal of fear about them and many individuals and communities ask why they have to tolerate living next to a pylon or some other development. It is beholden on the Government and all the stakesholders to involve stakeholders in the community and to open up the debate and shift the focus to the reason this infrastructure is being attempted to be developed and what the benefits of it are. Aside from jobs, the need to modernise our energy infrastructure and to tap into our renewable energy potential, the local people on the ground have to be considered. They have to put up with, at the very least, having to look at the development and with other aspects including health concerns. The nettle must be grasped in this respect. Anybody who has to put up with the construction of energy infrastructure for the benefit of the entire nation must be particularly compensated. I am not only talking about landowners because provision is made for them.

One aspect of this issue is the community fund. Currently, provision in that respect is very ad hoc. It depends on the developer in the case of wind energy projects and some are more generous than others. It leaves communities in general not knowing where to turn because there is no table or script to indicate that such a price is a fair price to get per megawatt installed. In that context, I would also include EirGrid in terms of its transmission lines.

See this speech in context