Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if all wind farm projects in respect of which planning permission and business plans have been submitted and are in order are likely to be included in the current round of approvals announced by his Department in respect of renewable energy; if he has taken into account in the determination of his energy plans the availability of various forms of renewable energy, seeking or awaiting approval and funding; when he expects all such projects to be regularised; if he intends to issue instructions to the Regulator in accordance with legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20013/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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On the first of this month I launched the next market support mechanism for renewables known as the Renewable Energy Feed In Tariff (REFIT). This new mechanism is a change from the previous programme in that it is a fixed feed in tariff mechanism rather than competitive tendering. REFIT will support the construction of at least a further 400 megawatts of new renewable energy powered electricity generating plant by 2010. Applicants in REFIT must have planning permission and a grid connection offer for their projects and they will be able to contract with any licensed electricity supplier up to the notified fixed prices. The full terms and conditions of REFIT are available on my Department's website, www.dcmnr.ie. The processing of applications for grid connections is a matter for the appropriate grid operator and the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). I have no statutory function in that process.