Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like the Deputy, I am well aware of people's fears and concerns. The whole reason this Government is bringing forward new guidelines and a preferred option, which has to go through the SEA process, is to bring a better balance to the guidelines and assure people that their concerns are being dealt with. We are not just talking about it; this Government is doing it. The process, as I have said, has to include carrying out the SEA. As part of that, the experts were employed in December 2017. Their work will be finished quite soon. It will then go through a public consultation period, and we will be able to complete all of this near the end of 2018. We will have completed the initial stage at the end of this quarter, which is in about two months. This will address the concerns around noise, visual amenity, shadow flicker, consultation obligations, community involvement, community dividend and grid connections. All the concerns of which I, as a Minister of State and a Deputy, am aware and which were brought to us by various stakeholder groups are being dealt with in those preferred guidelines. The guidelines address the issues. They are being dealt with. It is best for those communities that we follow the process we are meant to follow under law. If we do not do that, the guidelines will not be effective.

See this speech in context