Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the consultation process he will instigate with local residents who may have concerns regarding wind turbines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4877/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is responsible for developing planning policy and legislation. Extensive public consultation rights are enshrined and protected under Irish planning law. These apply not only to wind energy developments but to all forms of development that require planning permission.

The Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and other Energy Infrastructure, published in July last year, recognises the need for and urgency of new energy infrastructure. It notes that the planning process provides the necessary framework for ensuring that all necessary standards are met and that consultation is built into the process. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government issued guidelines on wind energy development in 2006 and these are available on that Department's website.

When carrying out forward planning and development management functions, planning authorities are required to have regard to guidelines issued by the Department. The guidelines are also intended to ensure a consistency of approach throughout the country in the identification of suitable locations for wind energy development and the treatment of planning applications for wind energy developments. This mapping of suitable locations is carried out through the development plan process, which makes extensive statutory provision for public consultation. In addition, the guidelines also provide advice on best practice with regard to public consultation in advance of the lodgement of a planning application for a wind energy development.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in conjunction with my Department, is undertaking a technical update of the guidance on certain aspects of the wind energy development guidelines and the advertisement on the consultation was in the newspapers yesterday. The update is intended to ensure that the wind energy guidelines are supported by a robust and up-to-date evidence base on these issues and to support wind energy development in a manner that safeguards residential amenity, consistent with EU and national policy. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government issued a press notice in this regard yesterday.

Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister for the reply. I have spoken with people who live adjacent to turbines and I believe they cause many problems for the people concerned. By its nature, a memorandum of understanding is a high-level document and does not go into detail. People are keen to see an overall strategy in place and that detailed economic, social and job creation assessments are done with reference to the people living in the vicinity. I read an article in which someone was quoted as referring to 400 workers. Thee may indeed be 400 workers but it is possible that not one of those will come from the jobless list. We need some social dividend clause in whatever is eventually agreed.

Will we be doing more than simply an environmental impact assessment? Will we do an economic assessment, a social assessment and an assessment of the impact on people living in the vicinity? Will any of these assessments come to the Oireachtas committee before a final contract is signed?

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The answer to all of the questions concerning what went into the examination being done about the development of wind energy is "Yes". Deputy Colreavy's concluding point specifically referred to the memorandum of understanding I signed last week with the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. I would be more than pleased to appear before the Oireachtas committee whenever the members wish to arrange it.

I have stayed away from the jobs potential, but it is significant. Some of the developers who are preparing projects and involved in the planning arrangements and the acquisition of land and so on have put figures on the jobs potential, but I am not keen to be dragged down that road nor do I wish to be dragged down the road of being partisan in terms of any particular developer. Anyway, there is significant potential for jobs not least in the construction area and that is potentially significant.

Deputy Colreavy made a point about the economics of wind energy. The answer cannot omit to take into account that as part of the thrust of the policy, which is to de-carbonise our energy systems, the build up of our renewable capacity is essential. If we are to meet our mandatory and ambitious targets for renewable energy, which aim for 40% generation by renewable energy sources by 2020, as agreed with EU member states, then we must build out our renewable capacity. We are fortunate to have particularly propitious wind resources. It is the exploitation of an indigenous resource that will create jobs on the island and create wealth and that is to be welcomed.

Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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Everyone agrees with the Minister in that sense. While we want, of course, to reduce the impact by increasing the use of renewable energy, we must ensure we get the best possible deal when we export energy to another nation. It is in that context that the economic impact assessment comes in. The economic impact of taking people off the unemployment queues must also be taken into account. If that work is done with the greater involvement of the joint committee, decisions will be better informed. It is also the case that if there is proper public consultation, particularly with people living in the vicinity of any installations, better planning and construction decisions will be made.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I agree broadly with what the Deputy says. I have read some incredible nonsense since the memorandum of understanding was agreed. Some of the commentary has been trite and uninformed. Some of the commentary from outside the State has been very odd. In fact, the deal has the potential to be a win-win for Britain and Ireland. I am interested in what Ireland Inc. gets from the deal, whose potential in terms of jobs, exploitation of unique indigenous resources and wealth creation is significant.

I cannot understand the commentary that the terms favour Britain. There are no terms in the memorandum of understanding, which is facilitative of the significant projects that private developers have assembled. They cannot trade with the neighbouring island unless that trade is facilitated by an intergovernmental agreement. I do not know how people can purport to make the kinds of comment I have read on the economic terms when they are not there yet. It is simply untrue to state that we will have wind turbines at every crossroads in Ireland. That is not happening and will not happen. I regret greatly that these things are being misrepresented.