Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise with the Taoiseach the clear commitment in the programme for Government that wind farm regulation guidelines would be published in consultation with the public within three to six months. I understand there has been a European Court of Justice ruling which places an onus on the Government to inform the public in relation to energy policy. However, I now understand that the guidelines have been deferred again because of that ruling. In the meantime, corporations in my constituency in Offaly and in north Tipperary are being given a free run and that is not right. Citizens are not being listened to, which is another example of the Government treating citizens in rural areas as second class citizens. Their voice is not being heard and no respect is being shown to them. When will the public consultation commence and when will the guidelines be published? In the meantime, I call on the Taoiseach to take urgent action because it is incredibly unfair that a person can run the risk of having a wind turbine 500 m from his or her house. That is unacceptable.

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