I welcome the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Alex White.
Adjournment Matters
National Wind Energy Strategy
Cuirim céad fáilte roimh an Aire agus táim thar a bheith buíoch dó as teacht isteach ar an gceist tábhachtach seo. Mar atá a fhios aige, ardaíonn muid ceisteanna faoi mhuilte gaoithe go minic sna Tithe. Baineann an cheist seo le forbairt san earnáíl sin.
The question I am raising is in relation to the development of the wind energy sector in Ireland. It is an issue that is raised in this House frequently because there is quite a number of Senators who have concerns around the area of wind development. There seems to be a huge push to develop wind farms in many rural areas. I am particularly concerned about the speed of development in Connemara. We have planning applications going through in Moycullen for a 67-turbine wind farm. We have also seen other applications for wind farms going up across Connemara and land being bought up. Many of the local people are raising issues with me about the impact of the wind farms on their health and lives. In some cases, there seem to be delays or discrepancies between environmental impact statements and planning permissions. It seems that turbines were added to a number of the developments before the planning was sanctioned. We are looking into areas like that and are not yet clear as to whether the environmental impact statements were updated to include the new wind turbines and the effects of light flicker and noise pollution in particular.
When I was looking into this issue, I contacted the EPA because a number of local residents felt the light flicker they were experiencing was a lot greater than had been put in the proposals by the development companies. We wanted to find out who was actually monitoring this and thought the EPA might have a role. However, when we contacted the EPA we were told that it does not have any ongoing role in monitoring light flicker or sound emissions. When we contacted the county councils, they were not too eager to go there, to be quite honest. It is an area that needs to be looked at because there are a number of issues around this.
The issue of the national strategic environmental assessment of wind energy development was also raised with me. A number of people requested that I ask the Minister whether a national strategic environmental assessment has been done on the development of wind farms. It is felt that a lot of the developers are pushing forward very quickly because of the end of tax breaks late next year, and that many developments are being fast forwarded. People have concerns about the numbers of turbines going up in areas of scenic amenity like Connemara. There are concerns over archaeological issues; archaeological sites are being trampled over, to be quite honest.
People are raising these objections through the planning process, but sometimes they feel the consultation that is done by the private companies involved leaves a lot to be desired. Sometimes site notices are put in places where they are not very visible. The engagement between the companies and landholders, where people are asked to sign an option or contract which basically gags them from speaking about having talked to a company, divides communities in a number of cases. I have had people come and tell me that they sense people are being bought out; they sign a contract forbidding them from speaking to their neighbours about having talked to companies. There are concerns around this.
I understand that if this national strategic environmental assessment is not in place, there could be issues around the legality of some of the planning permissions. I am looking forward to the Minister's response and I am very grateful. Tá mé thar a bheith buíoch don Aire as teacht isteach agus táim ag súil go mór lena fhreagra.
Aontaím leis an Seanadóir gur ábhar an-tábhachtach é seo agus is maith an rud é go bhfuil seans againn é a phlé inniu.
My Department is developing a renewable electricity policy and development framework, which will be underpinned by a strategic environmental assessment and what is called an appropriate assessment. The proposed framework will be completed in 2015 and will address policy and development to 2030 and beyond. It will give guidance to those seeking development consent, primarily in relation to large-scale renewable electricity projects - those above 50 MW. It will also provide guidance to An Bord Pleanála, the planning authorities, other statutory authorities, and the general public. It will have a spatial component, which will influence regional planning guidelines and any revised national spatial strategy or national equivalent.
It is not envisaged that the development of wind farms will stop while the new framework is being drawn up, because the continued development of wind power is increasing our security of energy supply, delivering environmentally sustainable energy, and helping us meet our carbon emission and renewable energy targets.
However, local communities will continue to benefit from the existing and robust legislative and regulatory framework for planning applications for wind farms. It is right that there should be such a robust framework which is determined by the existing Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2014. Under those provisions - I stress to the Senator that I do not have responsibility for the planning code - my colleague, Deputy Alan Kelly does, but for the sake of completeness, virtually all wind farm development projects require planning permission. The only exceptions are some small individual turbines. In most cases, application for planning permission must be made to a local authority in the first instance. The application may subsequently be the subject of an appeal to An Bord Pleanála. In the case of large-scale developments above 50 MW, application must be made directly to An Bord Pleanála under the provisions of this strategic infrastructure development system. All wind energy developments with more than five turbines or with an output greater than 5 MW also require an environmental impact assessment. This includes compilation of an environmental impact statement which is a thorough examination of all relevant environmental impacts. Public participation in the planning permission process is facilitated and interested parties are encouraged to make their views known.
Many renewable electricity projects also require an assessment, which is known as an appropriate assessment, under the EU habitats directive. This is a particularly rigorous interrogation of proposed projects to ensure they do not adversely affect the integrity of any special area of conservation or special protection area. General guidance in respect of wind energy developments is currently set out in the Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006 for planning authorities published by the former Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The guidelines are being revised and will continue to apply after completion and adoption of the proposed renewable electricity policy and development framework that I mentioned. In addition, all local authorities have a development plan which usually covers renewable energy development. Many have a detailed wind energy strategy also. It is envisaged that these policy documents will remain in force until such time as they might be modified in relation to the detailed policies set out in the proposed renewable electricity policy and development framework.
There is a lot of information and reference to different frameworks and policies and so on in my reply. I emphasise to the Senator and to the House that I regard community and citizen consultation as being absolutely critical. We have a huge amount of work to do and great opportunity in developing our White Paper on energy supply and the energy needs of this country for the next generation, for the next 20 or 30 years. We have six or seven months to complete that work.
I encourage all Members of the Oireachtas - I have said this publicly before - to participate now in this discussion. We have a lot of claims and counterclaims, for example on needs and needs analysis: What is the need? What is the supply we currently have? Did we overestimate it in 2008? Is there a risk we could underestimate it now? The supply of energy and prediction as to the requirement in respect of energy is not an exact science. It is something that is quite dynamic. We need to look to the future. We need to measure what the needs are. There is a huge opportunity for communities who see themselves as affected very often by various projects, including the grid, to participate and to join in that discussion and debate. We are having seminars right throughout the country in respect of the Green Paper which Deputy Pat Rabbitte published earlier this year. I would strongly encourage Senators to take an interest - as I know the Senators present do - in this critically important issue of how we match the undoubted economic and social value of sustainable energy supply with the needs and concerns and sometimes the fears of local communities. We can work together in a deliberative fashion to achieve this. I am very keen to do so.
Go raibh míle maith agat, a Aire. I appreciate the Minister's reply. I am a little taken aback by the reply in one sense because it strikes me as a "closing the stable door after the horse has bolted" type reply. The Minister is saying the strategic environmental assessment and appropriate assessment are being developed and that he is hoping they are developed by the end of 2015 for the period going forward. I commend this as it is important. However, the fact of the matter is, on the ground, most of the planning applications for the wind farms, because of the grid connections and so forth, will have been agreed by the end of 2015. Therefore, the Minister's strategic assessment will not impact on the ones going up at the moment. There are issues with all the wind farms for which planning permission is being given. There has been criticism of this by so many people, including many Senators in this House, because of the lack of legislation in the area. This was raised with the Minister's predecessor. I find it quite extraordinary and I call on the Minister to look at this issue and to talk to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly. Wind farm developments should be stalled until this strategic assessment is in place so that the Minister is sure that his policy will feed into the Green Paper that he has and we can ensure the impact on communities is safe and balanced. Surely the environmental assessment has a purpose and a reason. However, to have given all the planning permissions before that is done seems to me to be a very back-to-front way of developing the industry. I certainly do not think the developer-led industry should be let dictate to the Government and to the Minister how things should go ahead. The environmental impact and the community impact should be put first and the rights of those people should be put first and foremost before we push ahead with developments that could have a detrimental impact in the future.
I was responding to the specific question I was asked in respect of the framework. In terms of my responsibilities and those of my colleague, the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, of course, we are in discussions. Of course, we have discussed these issues, particularly in the context of the planning guidelines which are being revised and which I understand are intended to be published within the coming weeks, certainly not the coming months or years. That is the plan, as the Minister has actually stated. We are in discussions on it.
There is absoutely no question of the Government or any Minister being dictated to by any interest. I also emphasise that it is not as if there is no basis for community participation or community input. It may not be adequate. In fact, I think it is not adequate. However, it would be wrong to say there is none. We do have a robust planning system. We do have opportunity for people to participate in that and to input into it. It is not a question of us having to invent a whole process of community involvement and community participation because we have it in the planning system.
We are also dealing, for example, with the issue of noise which is one of the issues people have. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has arranged for a piece of work to be prepared on the issue of noise. We will have it in the next few weeks. It is feeding into our discussions also on the planning guidelines. This is not all down the road, in months or years time. This is work that is happening and will feed into our deliberations in early course.
Social and Affordable Housing Provision
I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.
I welcome the Minister of State. I have raised the question to ask for an outline of when South Dublin County Council and other local authorities can expect to receive details and guidance on the timeline and funding in relation to the budget announcements and, of course, the proposed housing strategy itself. During the first eight months of 2014, 97 families were assessed and placed into emergency homeless accommodation by South Dublin County Council. An additional 46 families were assessed as requiring emergency accommodation and have been referred to the centralised placement service for placement. As of October 2014, there were 25 South Dublin County Council families that were placed in hotel accommodation across the Dublin region. The Minister no doubt agrees hotel accommodation is not an appropriate form of accommodation for families. However, in the current situation, when one family a day is becoming homeless, the local authorities have no other options.
The same is happening throughout the country. The Minister is aware that nationwide, 90,000 people are waiting for social housing. The level of deficiency in what is a basic human necessity requires a substantial investment. Therefore, I welcome the provisions in budget 2015 that provides that headline investment of €2.2 billion in social housing in the next three years and a €10.5 million increase in funding for homeless services and accommodation.
I also welcome the budget announcement to establish off-balance sheet vehicles through public private partnerships to channel further investment into the provision of social housing units. This level of investment and the various innovative supply side measures are needed if we are to resolve the housing crisis and in that respect I commend the Government. Notwithstanding this, until such time as it announces its comprehensive social housing strategy, South Dublin County Council will continue to await details and guidance from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on the budget announcements and proposed housing strategy. The council has 260 units spread across a number of proposed developments, for which it is awaiting departmental approval. It is also in the process of finding other suitable sites and hopes to increase the number of new social housing units to be built, subject to approval, to 500 in the first quarter of 2015. Achieving this target will depend on the council obtaining the information it requires from the Department. For this reason, I ask the Minister of State for urgent clarification on the timeline and funding for the promised social housing strategy to enable local authorities such as South Dublin County Council to proceed with their local plans and ensure they have sufficient resources to house individuals and families who are sleeping rough or facing a winter in emergency accommodation.
Ba mhaith liom a rá ar dtús báire go raibh an tAire Stáit le freagracht as an nGaeltacht agus acmhainní nádúrtha, an Teachta Joe McHugh in ainm agus a bheith anseo chun an díospóireacht seo a thógáil ach gheall sé le Conradh na Gaeilge go raibh sé chun an lá ar fad a chaitheamh ag labhairt as Gaeilge toisc gurb é seo lá na Gaeilge agus mar gheall ar sin táimse anseo ina áit. Ba mhaith liom leanacht ar aghaidh ach ba mhaith liom a rá go mb'fhéidir go mba cheart dúinn comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis an Aire Stáit faoin dúshlán sin a thógáil chomh dáiríre sin nach raibh sé sásta an óráid seo a léamh amach, fiú, i mBéarla sa Seanad.
The Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, had intended to come to the House to speak on this matter but declined to do so because he had made a firm commitment not to speak English today as part of the Gaeilge 24 challenge. I am speaking on his behalf and that of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly.
The social housing strategy which is being finalised is being developed by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, with input from key personnel in the Housing Agency and National Economic and Social Council, NESC. The strategy will provide the basis for an enhanced approach to social housing provision and contain clear actions to be taken to increase supply and, most importantly, reduce the numbers on waiting lists. The measures in the strategy will complement budget 2015 which provided for a multi-annual approach to the provision of social housing, with a considerable increase in Exchequer investment and proposals for innovative funding approaches to increase supply. The strategy will be submitted to the Government for approval in the coming weeks and published thereafter.
As Senators will be aware, the specific provisions to be made in 2015 in respect of the various funding schemes and programmes, including the breakdown of the social housing investment programme, will be published in December in the 2015 Revised Estimates Volume. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government will then work with all local authorities to agree individual allocations across all social housing activities, especially in new building projects. This planning will be based, first and foremost, on social housing need in each area, taking account of projects local authorities have already commenced. Thanks to funding announced by the then Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, in March this year, a local authority housing construction programme, with an associated cost of €68 million, has been initiated. The programme will deliver 449 new units of accommodation for people on housing waiting lists by 2016. A simultaneous announcement of a further €46 million in capital investment for approved housing bodies will provide for a total of 416 units of accommodation for people with special housing needs, including the elderly, persons with an intellectual or a physical disability and homeless persons. These investments marked the return to new mainstream social housing construction after a number of years in abeyance. The Senator has shown a particular interest in South Dublin County Council where funding of more than €5.3 million has been allocated under these programmes and is expected to deliver 32 units of accommodation.
Social housing is a priority issue for the Government, as demonstrated in the investment in new housing infrastructure announced in budget 2015. The combined capital and current housing allocation for 2015 will result in an investment of almost €800 million and provide more than 7,500 new homes across a range of housing programmes. The net effect of new building activity under way and the further allocations to local authorities that will follow the publication of the social housing strategy and Revised Estimates Volume will be to produce a pipeline of new social housing which will stretch out on a multi-annual basis.
I thank the Minister of State for his response. I am sure the information he provided will be helpful to South Dublin County Council and other local authorities. As I indicated, I appreciate the overall investment in social housing and the information provided by the Minister of State on how it will be broken down. I am aware that the Revised Estimates will be announced in December. According to the Minister of State, this will give local authorities certainty about the amount of money available to them. I hope the Revised Estimates will be published in early rather than late December. Perhaps local authorities might be given an early indication of the figures, given that they are ready to go but must wait for the detail from the Department. That is certainly the position in the case of South Dublin County Council. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be homeless or live in emergency accommodation as winter approaches. The sooner we establish what will be the specific allocations for the various local authorities, the better because it may give a glimmer of hope to people in that position.
I appreciate the Senator's comments and will convey the case she made to the Minister. No one in either House or in government is under any illusion about the seriousness of the housing crisis in Dublin and nationwide. It is fair to use the label "crisis". The Government's response in the budget was substantial and the investment announced in public housing, the first such announcement in a long time, is a statement of its intent. I appreciate the Senator's comments and her motivation in making them. I will convey the points she made to the Minister.
Go raibh maith agat.
The Seanad adjourned at 6.15 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 12 November 2014.