I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 108 together.
In line with commitments in the Programme for Government 2025, my Department is working with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE), which holds policy responsibility for renewable energy matters, in respect of the introduction of a number of National Planning Statements related to Ireland's Climate Action Plan target to increase the share of electricity generated from renewable sources up to 80% in 2030. This includes the preparation of a National Planning Statement in relation to onshore wind energy development, following a review of the existing 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines.
Further to the commencement of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 on 2 October 2025, provisions for National Planning Statements have been introduced to replace the provisions for Ministerial guidelines issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. All existing Section 28 guidelines will, over time, be revoked and replaced with new National Planning Statements. Any current section 28 guidelines will however remain in force until revoked or replaced by a corresponding National Planning Statement. The timing of the issuing of National Planning Statements will be based on Government priorities.
In respect of sectoral national planning statements in particular, such as onshore wind energy development, there is also an important role for the relevant policy Department in collaborating with my Department on the development of these National Planning Statements. In that context, my Department is working closely with the DCEE as the Department with policy responsibility for this area of Government policy in order to identify the component factors relevant to the preparation of this National Planning Statement, including any appropriate environmental reporting and public consultation requirements, European obligations such as the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), and considerations such as noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections.
Further to this my Department, in conjunction with DCEE, which has primary responsibility for environmental noise matters, has been working to advance guidance on the noise aspect of the National Planning Statement, which is highly technical in nature. This work is now substantially complete. In the interim, the current 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines remain in force.
In line with EU Directive requirements, a strategic environmental assessment will be carried out on any draft National Planning Statement regarding wind energy development, with opportunity for consultation by the public and all stakeholders on the draft National Planning Statement.
As you will appreciate, my Department is precluded, under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, from involvement in individual planning applications. Accordingly, we are not in a position to comment on the validity or otherwise of the various planning applications referred to, or on any decision taken by the planning authority in any particular case. The decision in relation to specific planning applications, and what is considered in the context of those decisions, are a matter for the planning authority concerned.
Public participation is a crucial element of all substantive decision-making processes under the Planning and Development Act 2000, and the Planning and Development Act 2024. From a spatial planning perspective, as part of the process to review city and county development plans, it is open to members of the public to make an observation or submission on the draft development plan. The development plan sets out land use zoning objectives and outlines the types of potential development, including ancillary developments, which might be suitable for a particular area, and may, if appropriate, include objectives for wind energy development.
In addition, it is open to any member of the public to make an observation or submission on a planning application, including in relation to wind energy developments, and the planning authority is statutorily obliged to consider such submissions before making a decision on the application. Persons who make submissions are also entitled to be notified of any significant further information provided to the planning authority by the applicant and to be notified of the authority’s decision on the application.
When an application for a wind energy development is subject to environmental assessment this includes an assessment of cumulative effects. An environmental impact assessment report (EIAR) is always required when a proposed wind energy development has a total output of more than five megawatts or contains more than five turbines.
