Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I rise to voice the concerns and anger of residents who live in the vicinity of Oweninny wind farm, which is in north Mayo not far from Bellacorick and Crossmolina. This raises a larger question of how communities located immediately beside wind farms are looked after. I welcome the wind farm, which represents a €160 million investment. Once completed, which is expected to happen next year, it will provide power for approximately 50,000 households and go some way towards helping us achieve our 2020 renewable electricity targets. However, people who are located immediately beside such infrastructure need to be looked after. In particular, financial provision should be made for them. The offering made by Bord na Móna and the ESB, the authors of this joint venture, is basically a community fund that can be distributed far and wide. Its details have not been decided yet, but it in no way acknowledges the fact that some people will be living right beside and looking at turbines. The area in question saw the closure of the Bord na Móna peat-burning power station at Bellacorick, which had a cooling tower of 290 ft in height. Most of us know what those towers look like. The wind farm's turbines will be more than 580 ft in height, more than double that of the cooling tower. There are no other turbines of such a height in the country.

Under the Bord na Móna-ESB proposals, a near neighbour scheme will be operated. This would see reduced electricity prices, but only for people living within 2 km. In this case, that would only benefit four households. An estimated 100 households will be affected by the development. Bord na Móna and the ESB need to revisit the matter. The new Minister should attend the House to discuss how communities can feel a real benefit of funding that comes from renewable electricity generation projects. There will be a fund of €232,000 per year. These people need more money to retrofit their houses, including improving their insulation, as well as cheaper or free electricity. I do not doubt that, with the right model, this could be rolled out elsewhere.

The community has accepted the wind farm, but many communities are not in a position to do so. Bord na Móna and the ESB need to look after this community better. I call on the Minister to come to the House.