Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
780. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the revised guidelines on wind energy development will be published as part of Q2 targets for the 2023 Climate Action Plan; when the Planning and Development Act 2000 will be amended to reflect the proposed changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28464/23]
View answerMy Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review is addressing a number of key aspects including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections.
Guidance on the noise aspect, which is highly technical in nature, is currently being finalised by my Department in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), which has primary responsibility for environmental noise matters. Both Departments are engaging on proposals regarding the measurement and assessment of noise from wind turbines to ensure they are robust and fit for purpose having regard to, inter alia, the revised 2030 target to generate up to 80% of our electricity from renewable sources.
In this connection, DECC has recently appointed an acoustic expert, who has commenced work to inform any amendments to the noise aspect of the Guidelines. My Department in conjunction with DECC will make any further changes to the draft Guidelines which are deemed necessary or appropriate in the wake of this work, with a view to bringing the review of the Guidelines to a conclusion. My Department will be in a better position to provide an update on the expected publication date of the revised Guidelines once this process has concluded.
It should be noted that Action EL/23/4 of the Climate Action Plan 2023 Annex of Actions contains a commitment to having new draft Guidelines prepared by the end of Q4 2023, with revised Guidelines to be published in 2024.
When finalised, the revised Guidelines will be issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála, must have regard to guidelines issued under section 28 in the performance of their functions generally under the Planning Acts. In the meantime, the current 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines remain in force.
