Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 October 2023
353. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm when the revised wind energy development guidelines will be published; when they are expected to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42214/23]
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 advanced 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 appointed noise consultants to inform any amendments to the noise aspect of the Guidelines. My Department is engaging with DECC and the noise consultants with a view to moving this aspect of the review forward.
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.
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. My Department is working on the finalisation and publication of the revised Guidelines in line with this commitment.
When finalised, the revised Guidelines will be issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, or subject to enactment of the Planning and Development Bill 2023, as a National Planning Statement, as appropriate. In the meantime, the current 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines remain in force.
