Stanley introduces new Wind Turbine Bill in Dáil.
Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley introduced the Wind Turbine Regulations Bill 2016 in the Dáil last week.
Deputy Stanley stated:
“This Bill will regulate the development of wind farms through providing limits on the exportation of electricity generated from them; protecting rural dwellers from noise and shadow flicker by providing minimum set back distances from dwellings and ensuring a public consultation process for any developments.”
“There is an urgent need to regulate the Wind Farm industry. Yet turbines continue to be built without either up-to-date guidelines or regulations in place. The last Fine Gael/ Labour government failed miserably to regulate this industry. The result of this is ‘wild west’ type development of wind farms in the Midlands and Cullenagh in Laois is a case in point with no protection for rural dwellings.
“Sinn Fein supports the development of renewable energy but other sources need to be brought into play including solar, hydro and biomass.”
“This Bill will ensure proper regulation of all aspects of wind farm developments, including proper zoning, adequate set-back distances and assigning responsibility for decommissioning wind turbines. It will go a long way to address the concerns many people have around wind turbines in their locality. Under the Sinn Féin Bill wind farms can only be located in areas zoned for this purpose by locally elected councillors.”
“It will also ensure that any renewable energy produced by wind turbines should firstly be directed towards meeting local and national energy needs and only the surplus should be exported.”
“In many other European countries there is a strong element of local and community part ownership of wind farms and wind turbines. The opposite has been the case in Ireland as nearly all developments to date are controlled by large companies and speculators. Under the provisions of our Bill, members of the local community would have to be given the opportunity, if they so wish, to purchase up to a 20% share in the development and then receive a dividend throughout the lifetime of the wind farm. This is more in keeping with the European norm.”
Deputy Stanley concluded
“While we need to move towards generating more and more energy from renewable sources, residents, our landscape and rural Ireland must also be protected and that’s what this Bill sets out to do.”
