Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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346. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the national planning policy and guidelines in relation to battery storage sites; the last time a review of this framework took place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41459/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The planning system plays an important role in the delivery of renewable energy development and related development, from both a legislative and a policy perspective.

The Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) provides the basis for plan-making and decision-making within the planning system in respect of renewable energy development and battery storage. This legislative framework will be enhanced by the proposals set out within the Planning and Development Bill 2023, which has recently been approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas and will enhance the plan-led approach and give greater certainty for stakeholders through streamlined and statutory decision making timelines.

From a planning policy perspective, the National Planning Framework (NPF) 2018 is the long-term strategy for the spatial development of Ireland to 2040. The current NPF provides support for renewable energy development. The NPF informs a spatial hierarchy of plans that cascade to regional and local levels, through the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs) for the 3 regional assembly areas and the city and county development plans for each of the 31 local authorities. The majority of city and county development plans have now been reviewed and adopted by local authorities, providing for alignment with national and regional policy.

The draft First Revision to the NPF was published by Government for public consultation on 10 July 2024. The draft Revised NPF includes enhanced policy support for renewable energy development, including in particular the introduction of regional renewable electricity capacity allocations in order to facilitate the accelerated roll-out and implementation of renewable electricity infrastructure for onshore wind and solar generation development and to achieve the national targets set out in the Climate Action Plan 2024. The Draft Revised NPF also promotes related objectives, including policy support for electricity grid development.

National Policy Objective 74 of the draft First Revision of the NPF supports the co-location of renewable technologies with other supporting technologies and complementary land uses, including agriculture, amenity, forestry and opportunities to enhance biodiversity and promote heritage assets, at appropriate locations which are determined based upon the best available scientific evidence in line with EU and national legislative frameworks.

In addition, the EU Renewable Energy Directive (2023/2413) – also referred to as ‘RED III’, introduces ambitious targets and measures seeking to boost renewable energy development, including the central target to increase the share of renewable energy in the EU's overall energy consumption to 42.5% by 2030, supplemented by an additional indicative target of 2.5%.

The transposition of provisions in RED III is underway, with an initial transposition date of 1 July 2024, with other provisions having a transposition date of 18 months after entry into force of the Directive. This will involve, in part, the need to introduce legislation to facilitate the designation of Renewable Acceleration Areas.

It should be noted that the Planning and Development Bill 2023 recognises the development of renewable energy and related infrastructure as a particular area of priority and also includes provisions to replace Section 28 Ministerial Planning Guidelines with ‘National Planning Statements’. Following enactment of the legislation, it is proposed to undertake a programme of review of existing Section 28 guidelines with the intention of replacing them with National Planning Statements, noting that this programme of work will be sequenced over time. It is envisaged that public consultation will be undertaken as part of the process of preparing National Planning Statements.