Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom cuidiú leis an rún seo atá curtha chun cinn ag mo chomhghleacaí, an Seanadóir Cullinane. Ba mhaith liom buíochas freisin a ghlacadh leis an gCeannaire as ucht an t-am seo a thabhairt dúinn le haghaidh an rún a chur chun cinn. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Ós rud é go bhfuil Seachtain na Gaeilge ar siúl faoi láthair, tá súil agam go mbeidh ar a laghad cúpla focal againn ar an ábhar seo i nGaeilge. Sílim go mbaineann an rún seo lenár bhflaitheas náisiúnta. Tá cuid mhaith cainte déanta ag an Rialtas seo faoinár bhflaitheas eacnamaíochta a fháil ar ais arís. Baineann cúrsaí cumhachta lenár bhflaitheas chomh maith céanna. Ba cheart go mbeimid in ann seasamh ar ár dhá chos féin sa chomhthéacs seo. Tá sé sin mar cheann de na húdair a bhfuilimid ag cur an rún seo chun cinn inniu.

Sinn Féin will launch the Wind Turbine Regulation Bill 2014 tomorrow. This Bill deals with a number of failings by the Government to properly regulate the construction of industrial wind turbines. The Bill also attempts to impose proper regulation of all aspects of wind turbine construction. This includes proper zoning of areas for wind turbine developments, the duties of planning authorities, set back distances and the responsibility of decommissioning wind turbines. Many residents in the midlands and throughout the country have been rightly concerned about proper set back distances of wind turbines from property.

The Bill seeks to impose a setback distance of ten times the height of the turbine from any dwelling for turbines that are higher than 25 m but industrial turbines are not the only issue. In Connemara, which is probably one of the most picturesque areas of the country, planning permission has been granted for hundreds of wind turbines in an area of scenic amenity. We are witnessing the privatisation of wind, which is a natural resource. This has happened because of a lack of guidelines and regulation up to now, a charge which cannot only be levied at the Government, and a lack of action by the previous Government. One lady bought her dream house in Connemara on a small farm. Three separate planning permissions were then granted, which means that approximately 70 wind turbines will be built all around her. This is a disgrace. It is unfair because it is being done with a sleight of hand and some people think there is collusion between the local authority, the planning people and the private enterprise developing these projects. A number of the planning applications for projects such as these were supported by people who used to work with the local authorities and who know the inside track on the guidelines in question.

Proper regulation should be in place but the Bill seeks to rectify the mistakes made by the current and previous Governments. Two Bills were published by Deputy Penrose and Senator Kelly, who has raised the issue on many occasions, but the Government has even turned a blind eye to them. It is important that there is correct management of renewable energy produced in Ireland. Ireland has binding targets for renewable energy that it must reach by 2020. The State still meets most of its energy demand from imported fossil fuels. Any renewable energy produced here should be used to lessen the fuel bills that are a burden on many households. The Bill seeks to ensure the State's energy demands are met prior to renewable energy being exported - muid ag seasamh ar ár gcosa féin i ndáiríre i dtosach báire agus á bhflaitheas dhá choinneáil.

Proper planning is essential for developments in rural Ireland. The Government cannot ignore local communities that have concerns about the development of wind turbines. This Bill also seeks to address many of these concerns and it is our hope that the Government will accept it. There are also concerns surrounding farmers who have signed contracts with wind energy companies. This has also involved a sleight of hand where they have been practically gagged and asked to sign with the promise of moneys in the future in order that they will not speak to those living around them. Divide and conquer has been the strategy of many of the energy companies. There must be clarity around land access and land use and the farming community must be made fully aware of the consequences of signing contracts with these companies.

There needs to be a diversification of renewable sources and we cannot be dependent on onshore wind energy. In the EU, hydro power accounts for 48% of electricity generated from renewables; wind, 26%; biomass, 19%; solar, 7%; geothermal, 1%; and tidal and wave, less than 0.1%. Norway is almost 100% self-sufficient in producing electricity from hydro power. The country is also exemplary in the way it has treated its oil and gas resources. The Government still has not implemented the recommendations of an Oireachtas joint committee regarding the oil and gas industry. The Minister of State might comment on when it intends to do that. The latest media reports have said that the current and previous Governments have given the most favourable terms to oil and gas companies prospecting off our coast. If we had the savvy of the Norwegians to ensure national rights were put before those of private companies, we might not be in our current predicament.

No country is self-sufficient in electricity generation from wind. Denmark now generates more than 30% of its electricity from wind and exports more than 12 billion kW per year. Achieving self-sufficiency in electricity from renewables is a key target for the country. There are, however, critiques of the economics of electricity exports, including in Denmark, which may be relevant to future planning in Ireland. Bhí mé i gCeanada dhá bhliain ó shin agus chonaic mé go bhfuil an-obair dhá dhéanamh ansin maidir le forbairt fuinneamh na dtonn. Sílim gur áis é sin go bhféadfaimis breathnú air i bhfad níos mó. Déantar go leor den fhorbairt i gCeanada i gcomhair leis na pobail áitiúla. Mar shampla, in áit a bhfuil deontas tugtha do phobal áitiúil le turbines a chur faoin uisce, maidir leis an sruth a bhíonn ag teacht isteach agus amach, is féidir leis na pobail sin brabach a dhéanamh dóibh féin as an bhfuinneamh a ghintear a úsáid go háitiúil agus an bhreis leictreachais a úsáid le haghaidh rudaí a chur chun cinn ina bpobal féin.

We oppose fracking on the island and we have tabled the motion in good faith.