Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not going to be ruled by Senator Humphreys. I have my own view and I have an opportunity to put it straight to the Minister. I did not go on the airwaves or to the newspapers. I am only saying with the Minister present that I would urge caution in this regard. I am sorry that An Post seem to be going through a very critical stage. It is amazing how it has emerged so quickly.

With regard to wind farms, I note that the Minister is proposing new planning guidelines. That should be welcomed. I visited the wind farm in Sliabh Bawn. I do not know whether the Minister has had the opportunity to pass through it. He probably has. I must say it certainly is a blight on the landscape. If I lived down there, I think I would find it very difficult to live under 20 wind turbines. I know we want renewable energy. I know the policy of the State is to try to maximise the amount of renewable energy. I welcome the proposed planning guidelines that will ensure that wind farms are not located so closely to residential areas.

In Germany and other locations, national primary network roads are used by putting wind farms alongside them. That generally does not disturb individuals and that could be looked at. I accept the amount of wind and air in locations has to be checked but it is an area that I believe could be exploited to some extent. The ones I saw in Germany were actually quite attractive on the national primary routes. I was driving from Frankfurt to Strasbourg. Along that region, there are quite a number of them. Those guidelines should be published as quickly as possible. There is also the question of locating wind farms in non-tourist areas, which also would be very welcome.

I welcome the Minister's proposal for housing energy and the provision of grants. I welcome that he is providing quite a considerable amount of money and creating 3,000 jobs. He might consider extending that scheme to schools. Quite a number of national schools in particular do not actually have a hot water facility, believe it or not, in this day and age. The Minister could provide some sort of grant to provide solar panels to re-equip most of the schools with solar energy to give them the energy to heat water in particular. It is a proven technology and I believe it would be welcome in saving energy in schools and as a lesson for young people in schools on the benefit of alternative energy and solar panels. I make that suggestion. I hope Senator Humphreys approves of this part of my speech. Am I in order to continue or is he going to rule me out or something?