Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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698. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will legislate so that all planning applications for wind farms, including those already submitted, can be put on hold until such time as the new guidelines are agreed and in place. [13609/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I commenced a public consultation process on proposed revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines in December 2013. This is a targeted review of the Guidelines focusing on the specific issues of noise, setbacks and shadow flicker and it is not proposed to make changes to the remaining sections of the existing Guidelines.

My Department is currently considering the submissions received on the proposed draft revisions to the Guidelines from approximately 7,500 individuals and organisations. Until such time as the revisions to the Guidelines are finalised later this year, the current Guidelines will continue to apply to planning applications for wind energy developments.