Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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30. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there is any recompense for a community living in the shadow of a wind farm in County Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41969/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government has set a target of 80% renewable electricity by 2030, including a specific target of 9 GW onshore wind capacity. The achievement of this ambitious objective requires a high level of investment in new renewable electricity generation.

A key element in the Government’s plan to meet these targets is the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), characterised by a series of competitive auctions, four to date held in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Successful applicants in the auction are offered a two-way support arrangement for a period of 15 years, this arrangement guarantees developers and consumers a stable electricity price for that period. The scheme is funded by consumers via the Public Service Obligation (PSO).

As part of the requirements to obtain RESS support, generators are required to pay into a community benefit fund to be used for the wider economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being of the local community. The rate of payment into the fund is set at €2/MWh for all generation projects.

The Terms and Conditions specify the mandatory distribution of these monies, setting a minimum payment for near neighbours within 1 kilometre with the option for the Community Benefit Fund to include neighbours located between 1 and 2 kilometres.

Local projects to be supported by the Community Benefit Fund are decided upon by the members of the Fund Committee, consisting of a number of volunteer community representatives, the generator and the administrator.

All funds need to submit an annual report to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) including details of how the funds have been spent. Further information is available on this website: www.seai.ie/grants/community-grants/community-benefit-funds.

Residents living in the proximity of a RESS project with a query about the disbursal of funds should, in the first instance, contact the SEAI Community Benefit Fund Team at benefitfund@seai.ie.

While community benefit funds are a requirement under the RESS, it should be noted that planning matters fall within the remit of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and individual planning decisions are a matter for the relevant planning authorities.