John Whelan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support a call made in the other House by Deputy Willie Penrose that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government impose an immediate moratorium on all planning or development of further wind farms until such time as the Government and Department conclude the review into the guidelines for the development of these massive wind farms. Proposals have been made for 2,500 giant turbines across large tranches of the midlands. I commend the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, and the Minister of State at this Department, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, on initiating a review of the guidelines because the current guidelines are out of date, ineffective and obsolete.

This is a national, rather than local issue, which is of concern in many counties, including Galway, Clare, Westmeath, Laois, Offaly and Kildare. There is a view, which is not without foundation, among the communities concerned that big wind, if one likes, has the ear of government and that the Government is acting to some extent as a front of house salesperson promoting the interests of commercial wind farms. This approach is dangerous and wrong. The community and national interest must be embedded in policy. I call on the Government to step back from what appears in some quarters to be a cosy relationship with elements of the private companies that are promoting massive wind farms. There are genuine concerns about the scale, social impact and sustainability of existing developments as well as the setback requirements. The idea of proper and meaningful consultation is a farce given that the wind companies are doing secret deals with landowners behind the backs of their neighbours and no one knows precisely what is happening. Wind farm promoters state they will connect to the national grid by underground means, whereas EirGrid maintains that undergrounding is not feasible or possible. Someone is telling a porkie.