James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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13. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when his Department will liaise with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to prepare official guidelines to regulate solar energy projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23803/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The issuing of statutory guidelines for planning authorities under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) is a matter for the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and I have no direct function in the matter. Given the significant level of interest in developing solar energy projects in Ireland, I wrote to my colleague the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government last year, and we agreed that both Departments would engage at senior level to explore the potential for enhancing national planning level guidance on solar energy.

My officials are engaging with their counterparts in the  Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government on this matter taking account of solar energy projects being assessed by planning authorities and the scope for future development of the sector in the context of emerging and future policy direction in the area of renewable energy generally.

My Department's engagement with  Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government officials will also examine if scope exists to streamline wider regulatory measures in a manner sufficient to enhance the development of solar energy, such as enhancing current exemptions from planning permissions in relation to rooftop solar installations.

Given the interrelationships between the development of our renewable energy potential and strategic planning objectives as laid out in Project Ireland 2040 and the National Planning Framework, both Departments will work to progress these matters in the coming months.