Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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349. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of planning guidelines that would stipulate a minimum distance of 1 km for wind turbines as proposed after the general election 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10300/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In December 2013, my Department published proposed draft revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed:

- the setting of a more stringent day and night-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments,

- a mandatory minimum setback distance 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 also initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the 2006 WindEnergy Development Guidelines, which ran until February 2014. The Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this public consultation process.

In light of the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to finalise the Guidelines and ongoing policy and legal developments in this area, my Department is continuing to advance work on the Guidelines and related matters in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, in order to bring the various issues to a conclusion as early as possible. I expect to be in a position to make a statement on the matter in the coming weeks, outlining the timelines for implementation of the various elements.

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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350. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when he envisages that windfarm planning guidelines, regulations and criteria will be brought forward which take account of the current scientific knowledge and World Health Organization guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10467/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In December 2013, my Department published proposed draft revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed:

- the setting of a more stringent day and night-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments,

- a mandatory minimum setback distance 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 also initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines, which ran until February 2014. The Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this public consultation process.

In light of the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to finalise the Guidelines and ongoing policy and legal developments in this area, my Department is continuing to advance work on the Guidelines and related matters in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, in order to bring the various issues to a conclusion as early as possible. I expect to be in a position to make a statement on the matter in the coming weeks, outlining the timelines for implementation of the various elements.