Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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387. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to differences in the acceptable wind turbine noise levels as per guidelines (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29644/24]

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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388. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to confirm plans, and timeline, to regulate operating wind farms (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29646/24]

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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389. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government has confirmed that work on the revised wind energy development guidelines is near completion, expert guidance having been tendered and engaged to assess an acceptable level of noise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29647/24]

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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390. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will confirm that the revised WEDGs have adequately assessed the potential impact of wind turbine noise on human health (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29648/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 to 390, inclusive, together.

My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review is addressing a number of key aspects of the Guidelines including setback distance, noise, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections.

My Department, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) which has primary responsibility for environmental noise matters, has been working to advance guidance on the noise aspect of Guidelines, which is highly technical in nature.

The two Departments have been engaging on proposals regarding the measurement and assessment of noise from wind turbines to ensure they are robust and fit for purpose having regard to, inter alia, the revised 2030 target to generate up to 80% of our electricity from renewable sources.

A ten-week public consultation on the draft revised Wind Energy Development Guidelines was held from 12 December 2019 to 19 February 2020. Almost 500 submissions were received as part of the public consultation, many of which are extremely detailed and technical in nature. These submissions were considered by my Department and DECC. Further to this, DECC, in light of its responsibility for environmental noise matters, appointed expert noise consultants to inform any amendments to the noise aspect of the Guidelines in line with existing standards and international best practice. This work is substantially complete.

My Department, in conjunction with DECC in respect of its environmental noise remit, will make any further changes to the draft Guidelines which are deemed necessary or appropriate in the wake of this work to ensure that the finalised Guidelines, once issued, are fit for purpose to provide guidance in line with renewable energy and climate targets, whilst having appropriate regard to the impacts of wind energy development, including in relation to noise annoyance.

With regard to the noise monitoring aspects of the draft Guidelines, in line with the “preferred draft approach”, my Department will work in conjunction with DECC, in light of its environmental noise remit and responsibility for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to ensure that the finalised Guidelines provide an appropriate noise monitoring framework for wind energy developments.

With regard to the finalisation of the review of the Wind Energy Development Guidelines, the Climate Action Plan 2024 sets out a timeline of Q4 2024 for publication of the final updated Guidelines and my Department is working towards meeting this commitment. When finalised, the revised Guidelines will be issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended or, subject to enactment of the Planning and Development Bill 2023, as a National Planning Statement, as appropriate. The current 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines remain in force pending the finalisation of the review.