Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank both Deputies for raising this important matter and for the opportunity to outline the progress to date on the ongoing focused review of the 2006 wind energy development guidelines. The Minister and I are precluded, under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, from exercising any power or control in respect of any individual planning application or appeal with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is, or may be, concerned. It is a matter for the relevant planning authority to make the appropriate determination on a planning application or appeal, and my Department has no function or remit in this regard.

In December 2013, the Department published proposed "draft" revisions to the noise, setbacks and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 guidelines. These draft revisions proposed the setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments; a mandatory minimum setback of 500 m between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations; and the complete elimination of shadow flicker between wind turbines and neighbouring dwellings. A public consultation process was initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the guidelines and it ran until 21 February 2014. My Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this period.

It is intended that the revisions to the 2006 guidelines will be finalised as soon as possible. However, account must be taken of the extensive response to the public consultation in framing the final guidelines. Further work is also advancing to develop technical appendices to assist planning authorities with the practical application of the noise measurement aspects of the guidelines. The revisions to the guidelines, when finalised, will be issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities, and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála must have regard to guidelines issued under section 28 in the performance of their functions under the planning Acts.

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