Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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99. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the way ongoing concerns from a number of environmentalists and residents living along the eastern coastline regarding the inconsistency between previous policy guidelines on wind energy when the Arklow and Codling leases were granted compared to the plans now in place can be addressed; and if he will address concerns that the legislative framework under which the Arklow and Codling leases were granted was out of date and that the granting of the leases was not subject to public consultation, as required under international conventions, including the Aarhus Convention. [24547/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I refer to the replies to Question No. 374 of 11 March 2014 and Question No. 512 of 27 May 2014, which set out the position in this matter.

The Arklow and Codling applications, lodged on 29 June 2001 and 30 September 2002, respectively, predated the entry into force of Directive 2003/35/EC on public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment. This Directive gave effect within the European Union to the public participation pillar of the Aarhus Convention. Ireland ratified this Convention in June 2012; ratification does not have retrospective effect. The applications were, however, subject to the public consultation procedures in place at that time, under the Foreshore Act 1933. Both applications were advertised and submissions invited from interested parties.

Both applications, and the foreshore leases granted pursuant to those applications, also predate the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) which was published by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in February 2014. It should be noted, however, that the OREDP indicates that there is potential for development to achieve a scenario of 4,500 MW from offshore wind without likely significant adverse effect on the environment. The OREDP was subject to both a strategic environmental assessment and an appropriate assessment in accordance with the relevant EU directives. These assessments were published as part of the OREDP and are available from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.