Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 March 2021
184. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the process for the setting up and distribution of community dividend and benefit funds associated with wind and solar energy projects; if there is a public record available of the community dividend and benefit funds allocated to date for such developments in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13133/21]
View answerThe Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is the main government support vehicle to deliver on Ireland’s 70% renewable electricity target by 2030 and it includes provisions for community participation and benefit. All projects successful in a RESS auction must establish a Community Benefit Fund. The contribution for each project has been set at €2 per megawatt-hour. These funds will be aligned to incentivise investment in local renewable energy, energy efficiency measures and climate action initiatives, as well as other worthy local causes.
My Department has already committed to the publication of a National Register and a RESS Community Benefit Fund Good Practice Principles Handbook by July 2021. The latter will lay out guidance on how the new funds will be managed and administered and the need to ensure community participation in fund decision-making via the establishment of a local committee. My Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) are developing a draft of this guidance which will be made available for public consultation shortly. The Register will track all projects and payments over the lifetime of the RESS and will be publicly available.
Information in relation to existing community benefit funds is not available in my Department. I understand, however, that Wind Energy Ireland publishes details of existing community benefit funds annually.
