John Whelan (Labour)

I am glad to be able to second Senator Kelly's proposal. I thank the Minister of State for coming before the House to take the Bill.

It is important to point out that no one here opposes wind energy or wind farms. It is not a frivolous or trivial protest and is not based on trying to impede the roll out of new technology, green technology and wind energy. As Senator Kelly pointed out, the jury is still out on the viability of wind energy. However, that is not the matter before us today.

There are no standards or best practice. By their nature, wind farms will normally be sited in rural areas on high ground or coastal landscapes in order to function. The Bill is straightforward and simple and in that regard it deserves cross-party support. It should be accepted by the Government in order to protect homesteads and families. It is fine for us to drive across Europe or Ireland and admire wind farms in the distance. I am in favour of them in principle.

There are proposals by Coillte to site a new wind farm on Cullenagh Mountain in an area which is not too far from where I live. It has to go through due process and the project is currently in train. Nobody should be expected to suffer from wind farms being imposed on them without some basic standards being applied with regard to minimum distance. I would like to say I will not muddy the waters but I would include pylons and power lines in the requirements for minimum distance. They are inextricably linked. If a wind farm is built it has to be connected to the grid and requires power lines and pylons to transmit energy. We should look at best practice and standards in other countries such as Denmark where provisions are made to protect homesteads, rural dwellers, farmers and families. Minimum distance should be set out in regulations regarding the proximity of pylons and power lines to homes. That is a row for another day.

We are not tilting at windmills. There is a genuine effort to reflect and respond to concerns that have been brought to the attention of Senator Kelly and other colleagues from people across the country. I would like the Minister of State to take into account the remarks that were put on the record of the House which will be

reiterated today by Senator Barrett. He, with good science and statistics, continues to draw our attention to the concerns of the OECD about the viability and sustainability of wind energy. It is important that we do not sleepwalk, as a community and Government, into the next big bubble and bet the house on technology that might not be sustainable.