Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 342: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has satisfied himself that procedures for public consultation and the right to appeal are sufficiently protected in the granting of planning permission for off-shore wind farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6799/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Permission under the Planning and Development Acts is not required for offshore wind farms. A person who proposes to carry out such a development must, however, apply for a lease under the Foreshore Acts in respect of the area concerned.

An application for a foreshore lease for a proposed offshore wind farm must be accompanied by detailed plans and drawings and an environmental impact statement. The process for considering such an application involves making this documentation available for public consultation for one month so that interested persons or organisations can make submissions or observations on the proposals. Submissions made in the course of this public consultation are taken into account in coming to a decision on the lease application. The Foreshore Acts do not provide for appeals against decisions on lease applications.