Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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242. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the research that has been carried out on the effects of wind turbines on wildlife, in particular the effect of moving blades on bats and birds and the effect of tremors caused by turbines on livestock. [49637/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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My Department has not conducted any specific research on the issues referred to by the Deputy.

However, I understand that there are a number of international studies on the impact of wind turbines on wildlife. In addition, I have been informed that the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), which comes under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, has recently provided funding for the following independent research projects on interactions between wind farms and wildlife, including:

- Birdwatch Ireland - Phase 1 delivery of a fully consolidated bird sensitivity map for Ireland;

- University College Dublin - Study on the interactions of bats with onshore wind farms;

- BirdWatch Ireland - a project on ‘Scoping the potential requirements for delivery of a Bird Sensitivity Map for offshore renewable energies supported by deployment of innovative tracking technology on seabirds and coastal waterbirds along the east coast’.

I understand that the SEAI also provides funding to BirdWatch Ireland to participate in the international research collaboration, under the aegis of the International Energy Agency Wind Research, Design and Development Task 34: Working Together to Resolve Environmental Effects of Wind Energy (WREN).

In addition, I am informed that an independent study has been undertaken by University College Cork on the interactions between hen harriers and turbines, details of which can be found at: www.ucc.ie/en/forestecology/research/windharrier/.