Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have undertaken a public consultation, which began on 11 December 2013, on proposed draft revisions to the existing 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines focussing specifically on the issues of noise, setback and shadow flicker.

The draft revisions propose setting a more stringent absolute noise limit, day and night, of 40 decibels, dB, for future wind energy developments. This limit is an outdoor limit - in general, the reduction of noise levels between the outside of a dwelling and inside would be approximately 10 dB. They also propose a mandatory setback of 500 m between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations and that a condition be attached to all future planning permissions for wind farms to ensure that there will be no shadow flicker at any dwelling within ten rotor diameters of a wind turbine. If shadow flicker occurs, the wind energy developer or operator will be required to take necessary measures, such as turbine shut down for the period necessary, to eliminate the shadow flicker.

My Department received submissions on the proposed revisions to the guidelines from over 7,000 individuals and organisations by the 21 February 2014 deadline. These submissions will be taken into account in finalising the revised guidelines. I would expect to issue the final revised guidelines by the end of June 2014 under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which will require both planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála to have regard to them in the assessment of planning applications.

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