Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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1020. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when his Department last requested the Department of Health to provide its position on wind turbines, given environmental noise affects human health and that the current 2006 Section 28 Wind Energy Development Guidelines provide no specific health protection standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58203/25]

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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The possible affect from wind turbine noise is the principal potential health impact attributed to wind energy developments. The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE) has primary responsibility for environmental noise matters.

My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines which will inform a new National Planning Statement on Wind Energy under the new Planning and Development Act 2024. The review is addressing a number of key aspects of the Guidelines including noise as well as setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections.

My Department is working in conjunction with DCEE, in the context of its environmental noise policy remit, to finalise the guidance on the noise aspect of the review. As part of this work, DCEE, in the context of its environmental noise remit, appointed noise consultants in May 2023 to inform any amendments to the noise aspect of the National Planning Statement. As part of their work, which is now substantially complete, the noise consultants have assessed the impact of human health from turbine noise having regard to international best practice and standards, including the current World Health Organisation (WHO) standards on noise.

My Department, in conjunction with DCEE, will make any further changes to the draft National Planning Statement which are deemed necessary or appropriate in the wake of this work to ensure that the finalised National Planning Statement, 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 any potential health impact caused by noise.

In line with EU Directive requirements, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is being carried out on the draft National Planning Statement as part of the review process. In this regard, my Department intends to undertake a public consultation on updated draft Guidelines as part of the SEA process whereby all interested parties will have an opportunity to submit observations on the draft National Planning Statement, including the Department of Health. Finalised National Planning Statements will be prepared following detailed analysis and consideration of the submissions received during the consultation phase.