Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. A year goes by very quickly. I am glad that I am here in a different building but in the same office to discuss this issue.

There are no specific planning guidelines in place for solar farms and, as matters stands, I have no proposal to bring forward such guidelines. We discussed the issue before and, if need be, I will not hesitate to act in this area.

Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, each planning authority’s development plan is required to set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area concerned. Section 10 of the Act requires a development plan to include, among other things, objectives for the provision or facilitation of the provision of infrastructure, including energy facilities and infrastructure. Many local authorities have developed renewable energy strategies for their areas in this context, rightly so, and I encourage others to do the same. Proposals for individual solar farm developments are also subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments. Planning applications are required to be submitted to the relevant local planning authority with a right of appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

In making decisions on planning applications planning authorities and the board must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to the provisions of the development plan, submissions or observations received and relevant ministerial or Government policies, including relevant guidelines issued by my Department. Planning authorities must then make their own decision, based on the specific merits, or otherwise, of individual planning applications. I am satisfied that the planning code is sufficiently robust to facilitate the assessment of individual planning permission applications for solar farm developments. I am very clear that the lack of national guidelines is not a reason for refusing a solar farm application. We can have discussions about other reasons, but the lack of national planning guidelines is not an appropriate reason for refusal.

The matter will be kept under review in consultation with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment and his Department, the lead Department on renewable energy policy, in the context of the Government’s White Paper on Energy Policy which was published in December 2015, the development of a renewable electricity policy and development framework, REPDF, and the launching of a new subsidy support scheme for renewable electricity by the Department which was recently published for public consultation and is expected to be in place in 2018. It will greatly help the conversation we are having. The subsidy support scheme is required in order to assist in meeting our renewable energy targets, as well as to facilitate greater diversity of supply and foster community engagement in renewable energy projects.

The energy White Paper sets out a vision to accelerate the development and diversification of renewable energy in Ireland. A draft REPDF has been formulated, aimed at optimising the opportunities for producing electricity from a variety of renewable energy sources in projects of significant scale on land. It will be subject to further public consultation prior to its adoption. A Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to facilitate the development of solar energy projects in Ireland that builds on the energy White Paper and recognises that solar energy also has the potential to provide a community dividend, thereby further enhancing citizen participation in Ireland's energy future. Consequently, solar technology such as solar farms is one of the technologies being considered in the context of the new subsidy support scheme for renewable electricity generation being developed by the Minister’s Department. In this connection, it is recognised that the new subsidy support scheme is required in order for the development of solar farms to become economically viable, which is not the case in most circumstances. The new subsidy support scheme will require Government approval and state-aid clearance from the European Commission before it can come into operation.

I have no proposals to bring forward specific planning guidelines for solar farms However, the matter will be kept under review. Certainly, on foot of the work being done by the Minister, it is something on which we can follow through, if need be. What the Senator raised is often cited locally as an issue, but it is not a reason. Planners in local authorities, if they have the co-operation of those authorities and their members, are well capable of making these decisions to allow us to move forward in this area. Naturally, if we have to act following the work of the Minister, we will do so.