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ability as Minister of State with responsibility for planning to place a pause on any type of planning application, be that for housing, wind energy, infrastructural projects or any other type of development. The 2006 wind energy development guidelines will remain in force pending the finalisation of revised … comes from renewable sources. In the interim, at local level, the city and county development plans set out where development is acceptable, including wind energy development. I can assure the Deputy that I am acutely conscious of the commitment in the Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider placing a pause on all wind energy developments until the new wind energy guidelines are published; when he expects the revised guidelines to be published and if he will make a statement

commitment in the programme for Government to prioritise new wind farm guidelines. Wind is important and it is important we are able to utilise it as part of the solution to moving to cleaner energy. Last week I got a reply to a parliamentary question … guidelines remain in force and that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is currently undertaking a focus review of the 2006 wind energy guidelines and engaging on all aspects of it with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. That is the same reply

have instances where this infrasound issue is allowed to go on and on, which, unfortunately, has happened. I have raised the issue of wind energy repeatedly through parliamentary questions, most recently to the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when I asked him whether he would provide

been done in terms of protecting the rights of communities. We are awaiting revised guidelines. The current guidelines give too much leeway to wind energy companies, which do not respect many communities. I commend everyone involved in the campaign relating to Mongan bog, which is a heritage site

going to focus on the climate and energy aspects of the budget. I will start by giving some credit to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. There have been some positive steps from a long-term emissions reduction perspective. For starters, I am glad he has convinced the Minister … carbon taxes. The funding given to EirGrid and the ESB for grid investment is very much welcome and will help unlock our renewable wind energy capacity. I was happy to see some, though not enough, additional funds being provided for retrofitting. In this budget, the Government has allocated

they are targeted at those who need them most. Under the Social Democrats' alternative budget, roughly 800,000 households would receive a €400 energy credit. Many public services that are free or heavily subsidised in other countries are exorbitantly priced here. Childcare is just one example. Fine Gael … transfer staff in the sector into a public model. We are in a climate crisis, yet somehow Ireland is now producing less offshore wind energy than it did 20 years ago. That is an astonishing fact. With a bit of ambition, it would be possible not only

functions of the Irish Maritime Development Office to include a statutory mandate for planning, prioritising and advising of the funding for offshore wind energy port infrastructure? There is a clear bottleneck there. Can we commit to a concrete timeline for budget and oversight mechanisms to ensure that

Utilities. If we recall last weekend, the wind howled for three days, yet we had a cut-off on our own indigenous wind energy at 500 MW because we had the agreement on an interconnector. There are specific areas that can be looked at. Moving on to housing

that we are trying to ensure that we have renewable energy in the country. If we are serious about renewable energy, we will have to see wind turbines not only on land … certainly offshore as well. I am conscious of the fact that very significant amounts of our energy is now fuelled by renewable energy, such as wind. I will speak to the Minister about the issues the Deputy has raised and hope he will come back to the Deputy

issue that I want to shine a light on here today is in relation to wind and solar energy in east Galway. I know that it is outside of the Minister's area of responsibility. In east Galway, particularly in the Tuam-Athenry area, we are being bombarded … understand why east Galway is being unfairly targeted for a vast number of these energy developments and when we can anticipate that the planning guidelines pertaining to the 185 m wind turbines will be revisited. Right now, they are the most visually intrusive developments anywhere in the country

water infrastructure - we should be front-loading it. Similarly, we need massive investment in redefining the electricity grid, in investing in offshore wind and wave energy, and in putting more into R and D. We are in a kind of wartime situation. We need to look 15 years

others towards that end because some significant projects need to be progressed in the interests of the common good be it energy, water, particularly offshore wind and so forth

approach. This budget is a missed opportunity to end our over-reliance on fossil fuels. Renewable sources such as offshore wind provide cheaper, more reliable and sustainable energy that will protect us in a volatile global market, but this needs to be done collaboratively with local communities

programmes in key sectors like agriculture, the marine, forestry, construction and business, as well as expanding the Skillnet offshore wind academy to train workers for the renewable energy sector. I am very pleased with some of the measures in budget 2026 outside my Department, in particular the major

Europe and in Ireland in respect of AI. There is also the relationship with energy use and AI, which is going to be very challenging, which means we will definitively need offshore wind from 2030 onwards to enable us to avail of the AI revolution. Okay, people will … respect of this. On Deputy McCormack’s point, because of their previous history Offaly and the midlands is well positioned to become an energy hub using Bord na Móna. I pay tribute to Bord na Móna. As a state company it has transformed very effectively from being

expedite delivery in that area. We talk about energy bills and the cost of energy. The reality is an overreliance on gas. We have the opportunity to overcome that through onshore wind, offshore wind, solar and battery storage, but it also needs investment in our grid

flounder. The credit papered over the cracks. The Government was throwing cash at a problem, never asking why we have the second highest energy costs in Europe, or why we have a regulator that routinely nods through savage price rises and fails miserably to honour its consumer protection … take a State-led approach like the Labour Party would in strategically investing €1 billion to make our moonshot moment in offshore wind a reality, weaning us off imported gas, which would be good for consumers and good for climate. With families and small businesses reeling from unaffordable

take over a billion euro out of the State finances. This is money that could be used to build houses, hospitals and wind farms. The Government is playing fast and loose with Ireland's future just to keep its friends in the golden circle happy in the present … research and development. This budget has been a series of bad choices and missed opportunities. The Government could have backed families struggling with energy bills, abolished the means test for carers, introduced a cost-of-disability payment, reduced childcare costs and lifted 40,000 children out of poverty

example, the only port capable of handling offshore wind on this island is in Belfast, but it is being used to develop offshore wind in Britain rather than on this island. Canvassing in Irvinestown in the most recent Assembly election showed me that the issues are the same … certain issues like legacy is not going to help us get anywhere. From an environmental point of view, just transition, the environment, renewable energy and proper public transport should be the cause of Ireland, just as the cause of Ireland should be the environment, climate and transport. Ireland

subgroups, on humanitarian assistance and on critical infrastructure and essential services, have been formed, with membership drawn from across Departments, utility and energy suppliers, principal response agencies, the transport sector and local authorities. It is expected that the review will be brought to the Government shortly. The recommendations … first few days as Minister for agriculture. I saw at first hand a dairy farm that had its power lines flattened by wind-blown trees from a plantation nearby. The farmer was able to continue to operate because of a PTO-driven generator. I recognised the importance

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider placing a pause on all wind energy developments until the new wind energy guidelines are published; when he expects the revised guidelines to be published and if he will make a statement

Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the amount of funding developers of wind energy farms have received from the State in the previous ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54064/25

Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that the wind energy industry continues to rely on the outdated 2017 HSE Position Paper on Wind Turbines and Public Health, which is contrary to more recent advice issued by the HSE (details supplied

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the updated Wind Energy Development Guidelines will be published; the specific timeline for their publication, particularly in relation to setback distances from residential properties given the significant increase in the height of modern wind turbines

Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for publication of the updated wind energy guidelines. [56583/25

Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given that the Programme for Government identifies the publication of new section 28 Wind Energy Development Guidelines as a priority, if the Strategic Environmental Assessment process for these guidelines has commenced; if so, when this process began

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the latest update on the publication of new wind energy guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54631/25

Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline when the new wind energy development guidelines will be published; and if the inclusion of ISO, or equivalent, standards for community engagement practices will form part of those guidelines

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the draft wind energy development guidelines; and when updated guidelines will be brought forward. [49213/25

support the deployment of demand flexibility technologies in Ireland’s electricity system, with a view to reducing renewable energy curtailment and maximising the use of surplus wind power; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56765/25

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the proportion of the 2030 target for onshore wind that has been achieved (energised) to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55840/25

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the proportion of the 2030 target for offshore wind that has been achieved (energised) to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55841/25

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the proportion of the 2030 target for offshore wind capacity, specifically for renewable hydrogen, which has been achieved (energised) to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55843/25

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether a national policy framework is being developed to facilitate the lifetime extension of older wind farms and repowering where relevant. [57542/25

Climate, Energy and the Environment regarding the national territory mapping for renewable electricity being prepared under Article 15b of RED III, the direct consultation his Department has held with Shannon Airport Group and authorities (details supplied) before including East Clare as a strategic onshore wind area