Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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554. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the timeframe for the review of wind energy guidelines; when the review process commenced; the amount of time given for submissions; the number of submissions received; and when comprehensive new guidelines will be published (details supplied). [41664/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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In December 2013, my Department published proposed "draft" revisions to the noise, setbacks and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed:

- 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 public consultation process was initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the Guidelines, which ran until 21 February 2014. My Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this public consultation process. It is intended that the revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines will be finalised as soon as possible. In this regard, 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. My Department is advancing work on the Guidelines in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

The revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines, 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 are required to have regard to guidelines issued under Section 28 in the performance of their functions under the Planning Acts. In the interim, the 2006 Guidelines continue to apply.

Under the Act, each planning authority’s development plan must set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area concerned.

Section 10 of the Act requires a development plan to include, inter alia, objectives for the provision or facilitation of the provision of infrastructure including energy facilities. Section 9 of the Act further requires that a development plan be consistent with such national plans, policies or strategies as they relate to proper planning and sustainable development.

As the preparation or variation of local authority Development Plans must take account of all relevant and up to date national plans, policies and strategies, my Department advised planning authorities by way of circular letter PL 20/13 dated 20 December 2013 that until the review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines has concluded, planning authorities should defer amending their existing Development Plan policies relating to wind energy as part of either the cyclical review or variation processes. They were instead advised to continue to operate their existing Development Plan policies and objectives until the review of the Guidelines was completed.