Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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259. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the rules in place regulating the development of solar farms; his views on the lack of regulations for solar farms; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that local authorities have raised concerns that there are no national guidelines for the development of solar farms (details supplied); his views on these concerns; his further views on whether the lack of regulation is deterring investment in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53469/17]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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260. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the planning applications received, refused and granted for solar farms for each local authority in each of the years 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53470/17]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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261. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to bring forward guidelines for solar power development for use by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53481/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 to 261, inclusive, together.

While there are no specific planning guidelines in place in respect of solar farms, proposals for individual solar farm developments are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments. Planning applications are made to the relevant local planning authority, with a right of appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

Under the Planning and Development 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, and many local authorities have developed renewable energy strategies for their areas in this context.

In making decisions on planning applications, planning authorities and the Board must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to the provisions of the local development plan, any submissions or observations received and relevant Ministerial or Government policies, including any relevant guidelines issued by my Department. Planning authorities must then make their own decisions, based on the specific merits or otherwise of individual planning applications.

I am satisfied that the planning code is sufficiently robust to facilitate the assessment of individual planning permission applications for solar farm developments. However, the matter is being kept under review, in consultation with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, and his Department who lead on renewable energy policy - in the context of the Government's White Paper on Energy Policy, published in December 2015, the development of a Renewable Electricity Policy and Development Framework, as well as the finalisation of a new support scheme for renewable electricity by that Department, expected in 2018.

In relation to planning statistics, these are compiled by each planning authority on an annual basis for collation and publication on my Department’s website, at the following link: .

The statistics collected relate to the total numbers of:

- Invalid applications received,

- Applications received for outline permission and full permission,

- Decisions to grant/refuse permission,

- Decisions issued within the statutory eight-week period,

- Decisions deferred, and

- Percentages for grants/refusals, decisions made within eight weeks and decisions deferred.

The statistics collected relate to the total number of applications and decisions for all developments that require planning permission, broken down by year and planning authority but are not broken down by development type.

The specific information requested in relation to the number of planning applications received, refused and granted for a particular development type is not collated or available within my Department's statistics.