Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the obstacles to the development of community ownership of wind farms as outlined in the Catch the Wind report presented by community groups and the Western Development Commission; and if he plans to establish preferential conditions for community-owned wind farms in any new support mechanisms for wind power. [12811/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is familiar with the study referred to by the Deputy and has engaged with the Western Development Commission on its content. Each programme operated by my Department to support the construction of new wind powered electricity generating stations to date has divided that support between large scale and small-scale projects. In addition, the most recent competition also included a separate provision for biomass anaerobic digestion to encourage small scale projects within that category.

The small-scale categories operated primarily to support the construction of locally owned or community-based projects. However, the programme exists primarily to encourage environmental protection and the rules cannot be so restrictive as to constitute unfair discrimination in delivering the task within any particular category.

On 7 April last, I announced the outline of a future programme to support the construction of additional renewable energy powered electricity generating plant. The major change signalled was a move away from competitive bidding on price to a fixed price system. A quantitative limit will continue to apply to the amount of plant, which can be supported and, therefore, a competitive element remains.

I have noted the concerns of small-scale producers generally. I appreciate that there may be a problem with how "small-scale" is currently defined and I am conscious that this may require further consideration. However, the future support programme I have outlined will retain a competitive element and I cannot make specific commitments to any particular group of competitors until the detailed rules are published and accessible simultaneously to all prospective applicants.