Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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1246. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department has any plans to develop or draft development guidelines for solar energy projects similar to the 2006 wind energy guidelines (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46392/25]

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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My Department notes the commitment in the Programme for Government 2025 – Securing Ireland’s Future to introduce planning guidelines for solar energy developments.

In light of this commitment, my Department has begun an initial scoping process to identify the factors relevant to the preparation of planning guidelines for solar energy development, including any appropriate environmental reporting and public consultation requirements, and the possible timeframe for publication of any such Guidelines.

Given this scoping process remains at an early stage, any such guidelines would be drafted as a National Planning Statement (NPS), subject to commencement of the relevant provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2024.

In the interim, there are currently no specific planning guidelines in place in respect of solar energy development. Proposals for individual solar energy developments are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments, with planning applications made to the relevant local planning authority, or An Coimisiún Pleanála on appeal.