Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 November 2016
109. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his timetable to update the wind energy guidelines 2006 which were based on ETSU-R-97, the assessment and rating of noise from wind farms issued by the UK Department of Trade and Industry in September 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33893/16]
View answer110. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will consider issuing fresh draft guidelines in view of the time taken to date considering the draft guidelines on wind energy to take into account current international best practice as the draft guidelines have been considered for such an extensive period that they will be out of date before they come to be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33894/16]
View answer111. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position regarding the publication of new guidelines for wind turbines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33964/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 109 to 111, inclusive, together.
In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed:
- the setting of a more stringent day- and night-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments,
- a mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations, and
- the complete elimination of shadow flicker between wind turbines and neighbouring dwellings.
A public consultation process was also initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines, which ran until 21 February 2014. My Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this public consultation process.
As outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government is committed to finalising the revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines within the first six months of coming into office. The revisions to the Guidelines will be informed by the public consultation process and by best international practice. My Department is continuing to advance work on the Guidelines, in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, in order to bring the matter to a conclusion as early as possible.
The revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines, when finalised, will be issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities, and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála are required to have regard to such guidelines, issued under Section 28, in the performance of their functions under the Planning Acts.
