John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Last week I called for a debate in this House on wind energy and wind farm developments. Subsequently, the Sunday newspapers published interviews with the heavy hitters in the Irish wind energy sector. They claimed that living close to wind turbines, which have increased in size from 54 m initially to 100 m and then to 120 m, does not have any ramifications. They are now 185 m high and turbines that are 350 m high are being developed.

On "Prime Time" last week, Mr. Eddie O'Connor said that he and the Finnish President were beside a wind turbine and they could not hear it. I want to put on the record of this House a real-life story that happened last week. A distraught couple from County Roscommon gave up the fight to live beside two wind turbines and left their home last Thursday with no intention of going back to it because of the ill effects this has had on them. That is the sad reality of what wind turbines are doing. Instead of that, what we hear from the likes of Mr. Eddie O'Connor is "Take the turbines and we will give you swimming pools". We do not want swimming pools. All people want is to live in peace and tranquility in their own homes. They are being deprived of a human right. I ask the Leader to fast-track any debate with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in regard to wind energy.