Wind Energy Guidelines

I am raising this issue today because Ireland is still planning for the wind turbines of 2026 using guidelines written in 2006. The reality is that the game has completely changed in those 20 years. When these guidelines were introduced, turbines were typically 80 m to 85 m in height. Today, in my constituency of Galway East, communities are facing proposals for turbines reaching 180 m and beyond in height. The technology, the scale and the impact on communities have changed. The only thing that has not changed is the guidelines, which have not kept pace. I have raised this issue repeatedly in this House, including directly raising it with the Taoiseach, because I believe we need a sensible and balanced approach to wind energy development. Let me be absolutely clear; I support renewable energy. Ireland needs it. We need greater energy independence and to reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels. Most importantly, we need an energy system that delivers lower electricity prices for households, farmers and businesses. That has to be the ultimate objective. The transition to renewable energy must deliver tangible benefits to the people who are paying the bills. However, supporting renewable energy does not mean accepting every development in every location at any scale without appropriate safeguards. In Galway East, I have spoken to families and communities who are genuinely concerned about the size of proposed turbines, their proximity to homes, noise, shadow flicker and the impact on the rural landscape. These are legitimate concerns and they deserve to be addressed through a modern evidence-based planning framework. We cannot expect communities to have confidence in a planning system that relies on guidelines that are two decades old. I want to see updated guidelines that properly reflect the height, scale and technological capabilities of modern turbines. That means appropriate setback distances from homes, clear and enforceable noise limits, protections against shadow flicker and meaningful community consultation. We need the communities that are hosting this infrastructure to see a real benefit from the energy being generated around them. The Taoiseach indicated his hope yesterday that the new national planning statement would be issued before the end of the year. I welcome that indication, but communities have been waiting quite some time. My request today is straightforward. Will the Minister of State give us a firm timetable for publication, ensure the new guidelines reflect the reality of modern wind turbines and provide the protections that rural communities deserve? I firmly believe that we can deliver renewable energy, lower electricity costs and respect for rural communities. Those issues should not be at odds. I have attended multiple public meetings in my constituency over the last year at which people expressed concerns about wind farms. Prior to the general election, there was a meeting with over 300 people in attendance in Tuam. The conversation was open and honest about the issues that people are facing. One of the worst problems is that these communities receive very poor consultation. That is one of the main issues driving the inequity in these decisions. I understand that it is a matter for the planning process, but we have to show leadership on it as well.

I thank Deputy Dolan for raising this important issue on behalf of his constituents in east Galway. I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Browne. I acknowledge the importance of the Government's ambitious commitment that 80% of electricity demand is met by renewables in the near term, with plans to move to net zero by 2050, in order to reduce our costs and protect the environment. lreland is developing a renewables-led electricity system, which will reduce emissions, ensure the energy security of the State and protect Irish households and businesses from the volatility of the international fossil fuel markets. Onshore wind energy is fundamental to this transition. The Planning and Development Act 2024 introduces provisions for what are known as national planning statements. These national planning statements have been introduced to replace ministerial guidelines that were issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. All existing guidelines will, over time, be revoked and replaced with new planning statements. Any current section 28 guidelines will remain in force until revoked or replaced by a corresponding national planning statement. Subsequently, this means new planning guidance on wind energy development will be issued as a national planning statement following a review of the existing wind guidelines. While this has been ongoing for a period of time, progress has been made towards concluding the review process. I can advise the House that it is currently the intention that a draft national planning statement will be published as part of a public consultation at the end of quarter 1 of 2027. In respect of sectoral national planning statements, such as on onshore wind energy development, there is also an important role for the relevant policy Department in collaborating with the Department of housing on the development of national planning statements. In this context, the Department of housing is working closely with the Department of climate, as the Department with policy responsibility for this area of Government policy. I reiterate that the Government's position is that public participation is a key element of all substantive decision-making processes under the Planning and Development Act. The draft national planning statement on wind energy will be subject to strategic environmental assessment, and a public consultation will be held as part of the process, whereby individuals and stakeholders, including local community groups, will have the opportunity to make observations on the draft national planning statement. It will also be open to any member of the public to make an observation or submission on a planning application, including in relation to wind energy development. The planning authority is statutorily obliged to consider such submissions before making a decision on the application.

Go raibh maith agat, a Aire Stáit. I appreciate the indication that the planning statement will be published before the end of quarter 1 of 2027. A lot of communities will be concerned because there are so many live applications for onshore wind developments going through An Coimisiún Pleanála. Many communities want to see these updated guidelines go out for public consultation as soon as possible in order that they can be taken into account in any decision that An Coimisiún Pleanála might make. I want to emphasise one final point. We are dealing with an entirely different scale of wind turbine today than we were in 2006. That is the fundamental change here. In 2006, the guidelines were adequate for what was being proposed. They not seem to be adequate today. Turbines are over 180 m in height. They have a huge impact on the landscape and a huge presence. There is a huge amount of wind development in Offaly. I recently visited the area to see what living in close proximity to wind turbines is like, and whether people could hear them, if there was noise and what the issues were. One resident is living in an old house, and the irony is that the house is a protected structure, so they could not put in new windows which would help with the noise issues. They could hear wind turbines late at night from over a kilometre away. That is just one example. I understand that each case has to be taken on a case-by-case basis, but we are dealing with a different technology. We, as legislators, need to ensure that the guidelines keep pace with the reality on the ground, so that rural communities are protected. That is where I am coming from on this. I support renewable energy and want to see us get energy prices down for our constituents because that is what they want us to do. They want us to lower the price of energy, and if renewable energy gets us there, then happy days. I just want it to be done a responsible way.

Significant progress has been made towards the publication of the national planning statement as a matter of priority. We intend to open it for public consultation by the end of quarter 1 next year. The statement needs to provide for a robust, up-to-date policy which considers the evolved context, the technological progress of recent decades and the critical need for Ireland to meet our ambitious target of 9 GW of onshore wind energy capacity. It is vital because the programme for Government commits to the delivery of this by 2030. The target has gone up from 5 GW to 9 GW. The perspectives of everybody will be considered as part of the public consultation. The national planning statement seeks to strike an appropriate balance by addressing the concerns of communities and ensuring there is a greater and earlier community engagement by wind energy developers, while also ensuring that Ireland's ability to deliver on its binding energy policy obligations and to get cheaper and better energy are maintained.