Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. When will the interdepartmental engagement come to an end? Have we a timeframe and timeline? For years we have been waiting for revised guidelines to address the concerns of communities that have legitimate fears over noise and shadow flicker. There is great concern. In Lemanaghan, County Offaly, which is in my constituency and where there is a proposal for a wind farm, there have been 2,300 submissions from residents. It is just one small area but it indicates the extent of the issue. We need to ensure, as legislators, that there is balance and fairness and that the rights of all communities are upheld. The respectful and right thing to do is to give people a timeline and a guideline, in addition to a date as to when the guidelines will be published, rather than an indefinite answer to the effect that publication will be whenever engagement finishes or otherwise. Let us give the people some certainty and a date.

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