Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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570. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the rationale used to determine each of the 12 exclusions listed at 4.3.1 of the report on wind turbine noise modelling commissioned by his Department through the SEAI and published in draft format in March 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2889/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The objective of the report referred to in the Question was to inform a decision on the impact of potential noise limits on the available wind energy capacity in Ireland. The objective was not to establish the criteria for determining spatial feasibility as it was solely an acoustic exercise. The acoustic models produced in the study were based on the identification of potentially viable areas for wind turbine placement and a number of assumptions were made in compiling the report. Proposals for individual wind farm developments are subject to the statutory requirements of planning law, in the same manner as other proposed developments. Aside from exclusion zones around dwellings, exclusion zones were applied in the report around environmental, cultural heritage and archaeological zones. It is important to reiterate the limited scope of this report, which did not include an environmental study.

The 12 exclusion zones constitute areas protected under national and EU law such as the Habitats Directive. By their nature, any development proposed within those areas, would be subject to specific environment assessment.  Under each of the listed exclusion zones, further environmental constraints impact the likelihood of a project receiving planning approval. Therefore, in order to assess the implications of acoustic parameters, it was reasonable to apply the 12 exclusion zones in question, which were agreed by the Steering Group, membership of which included the then Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, the National Parks  and Wildlife Service, the SEAI and Local Authority representation, prior to the commencement of this modelling exercise.