Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am hearing procrastination. We are not reaching our goal quickly enough. Planning applications are rolling in and planning permission is being given for wind farm developments. There is concern about the setback distances of these giant turbines. In the midlands and in Laois-Offaly, which I represent, huge turbines are being constructed. Some of the Minister's Labour Party colleagues are saying the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Alex White, is blocking the Minister. While Fine Gael is being blamed for other matters, in this case, the Ministers, Deputies Kelly and White, are being blamed. It is being reported in the newspaper that the Minister, Deputy White, as a Dublin representative, does not have much interest in this and is not overly concerned about giant turbines near people's homes. Will there be pro ratasetback based on height, or will there be a standard, statutory limit of 500 m or 600 m, which would be useless for the size of turbines being constructed in the midlands?

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