Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I fully appreciate that the Senators want to make a brief contribution in the broadest sense. I agree with Senator Tuffy. The Taoiseach regularly points out to me that this is a good approach for precisely the reasons the Senator outlined. This plan was holistic, it involved the community and the local authority. It dealt with infrastructure and the social supports that were required to be put in place.

I also agree with the Senator that it does not arise directly under the Bill, but she will be aware that I have tried to move a little bit further in that direction. I have asked local authorities to be conscious of social infrastructure needs. We cannot simply build houses, we must build communities and in that context provide recreational facilities. While that would not be directly covered in this legislation, the Senator is right in the general sense that if we are to have a spatial strategy, strategic development zones are very much a part of it.

The rural housing guidelines are not strictly covered by the legislation. Senators Kitt and Bannon expressed concern about the rural housing guidelines and differentiation. My spatial strategy division is in regular contact with local authorities. There is evidence that the guidelines are being applied consistently but we will keep an eye on this matter. The Bill does not cover quarrying.

Senator Ó Murchú raised a very interesting point about the emerging debate on wind farms. The Bill places the threshold at 50 turbines, which is a very large amount with a certain output in terms of megawatts. Fine Gael tabled a number of amendments suggesting that we reduce this threshold towards 20 turbines. I did not agree with this proposition, although I fully understood the logic behind it and the concerns held by Fine Gael about wind farms. Fine Gael believes that the new progressive piece of energy system should be rolled out. I did not reduce the threshold from 50 to 20 because I wanted to keep a strategic size in mind.

The Senator also raised a very interesting point about the issue of shadow flicker, of which I am aware. As the light falls, particularly during evenings when one looks towards the west and perceives very strong sunlight, an intervening wind farm could produce a variety of optical or visual effects. I am concerned about shadow flicker and Senator Ó Murchú will be pleased to learn that I have already addressed this matter.

I circulated the new guidelines on wind farms to the Senator last week. These guidelines deal with smaller wind farms and arise, in part, from the debate we had on the merits of farms with a strategic size of 50 turbines compared with 20 turbines. I put a condition into these guidelines requiring the non-operation of wind farms at times when predicted shadow flicker might adversely affect on an inhabited dwelling within 500 metres of a turbine, where such a provision may be appropriate. I was worried about the issue of epilepsy and effects on humans. Clearly, local authorities can, and should, use their powers in that regard. We will keep a close eye on how these guidelines are operated.

Senator Kitt kindly referred to a recent meeting I held in Galway with him, some of his colleagues and the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cúiv. During the meeting, they made a point which has been repeated in this debate. They made a very cogent argument about the meaning of the term "strategic" in different parts of the country. They specifically related it to the size of power lines. I had stated previously that a strategic power line would be a very substantial line of 220 kV. For a range of reasons, I did not originally intend to include 110 kV lines. I wish to put on the record of this House that the cogency of the arguments put forward by Senator Kitt and arguments put forward during the debate in the Houses of the Oireachtas, where reference was made to the specific needs of Galway, Mayo, Sligo, the general western seaboard and the border midland and western region, persuaded me to amend the Bill to change the amount from 220 kV to 110 kV. This will be very helpful, particularly in medium-sized towns and growing villages in the west.

A renaissance is taking place in the west of Ireland. I recently visited Ballyhaunis, Claremorris, Castlebar and Westport and was staggered by the degree of development taking place. This state of affairs is very positive. It is clear that the arguments made by Deputies and Senators, particularly those made by my colleague, Senator Kitt, were good and compelling. It is for that reason that I amended the Bill.

To return to the point made by Senator Ó Murchú, the issue of shadow flicker does not directly arise out of the Bill but I have already anticipated it in the guidelines. If he is concerned about the guidelines, we can discuss them further.