Minister has "no authority" to pause wind energy projects

Independent TD for Offaly Carol Nolan has been told that the publication of revised wind energy development guidelines remains a “priority” for government despite the fact that the existing guidelines have been in force since 2006.

Deputy Nolan highlighted the issue during a priority question debate with the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, John Cummins, in the Dáil, where she was told that the Minister has "no authority" to pause wind energy developments until such time as the revised guidelines are published:

Minister Cummins said the 2006 guidelines will remain in force pending the finalisation of a “focused review” by his Department that is considering matters such as noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections.

“While the Minister may not have direct powers to pause individual wind energy applications, I do think he could consider devising a means to issue revised ministerial guidelines to local planning authorities, which as I understand it, he would have been able to do under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act before that section was repealed,” said Deputy Nolan.

“At the very least this would provide interim clarity for planning authorities and greater protections for local communities.”

“I know the Minister of State mentioned public consultation in his reply to me, but many people do not take that seriously because their experience of public consultations is that they have not been respected.”

“Constituents from north Offaly where there are issues with wind development sound have contacted me. They have had to move livestock in their fields. These people feel they are not listened to. If we are talking about public consultation, the number one priority is that it has to be meaningful. The second thing is that we have to ensure that communities are respected and protected and that we do not have instances where this infra sound issue is allowed to go on and on, which, unfortunately, has happened.”

Deputy Nolan also asked minister Cummins to ensure that any public consultation that does take place on the revised guidelines does not become a mere “box-ticking exercise.”