Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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1060. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when his Department will publish the new wind energy guidelines; if the public will get a further input; the period of time these guidelines will be in effect for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42036/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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In January 2013, my Department commenced a review of the current 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines, focusing specifically on the guidance relating to noise, setbacks and shadow flicker. As the starting point in this process, submissions were invited as part of a preliminary public consultation process. 540 submissions were subsequently received from private individuals, the wind industry, professional institutes and local authorities. In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setbacks and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Guidelines. These draft revisions propose:

- The setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments;

- A mandatory minimum setback of 500 metres between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations; and

- The complete elimination of shadow flicker between wind turbines and neighbouring dwellings.

A second public consultation process was initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the Guidelines, which ran until February 21^st2014. My Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this period.

It is intended that the revisions to the Wind Energy Development Guidelines will be finalised as soon as possible. However, account has to be taken of the extensive response to the public consultation in framing the final guidelines. Further work is also advancing to develop technical appendices to assist planning authorities with the practical application of the noise measurement aspects of the Wind Guidelines.

Given that there have already been two extensive rounds of public consultation on these Guidelines with the same broad range of issues raised on both occasions, I do not consider that a third consultation process would be of added value.

The revisions to the Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006, when finalised, will be issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities, and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála must have regard to guidelines issued under Section 28 in the performance of their functions under the Planning Acts.

Planning Guidelines issued to planning authorities are reviewed periodically by my Department and the Wind Energy Development Guidelines will be updated again in the future, as necessary.