In the Dail
Wind Turbines Bill - 2012
Tabled by Labour, the bill argued for any wind turbine over 150m to be located 2km from residential homes. (In the UK, in 2012, the setback distance was 3km from private homes – and wind turbines were then a lot smaller.) This Bill was quashed. ‘It is an unstoppable train in one direction. Even when Councils refuse permission, An Bord Pleanala grants permission’.Wind Turbine Regulation Bill – 2014
Tabled by Sinn Fein, it argued for turbines to be located at a distance from the nearest house that is at least 10 times the height of the turbine; in our case, at least 1850m from the proposed turbine development. This Bill was withdrawn.Wind Turbine Regulation Bill – 2017
A further stage of 2014 Bill tabled by Sinn Fein, which argued for 10 times the height of the turbine as the default setback distance from homes.Draft Wind Energy Development Guidelines, - December 2019
Includes a noise limit of 43 decibels, shadow flicker shutdowns, setback distances 4x the turbine height and requires the industrial developer to submit a community report. These guidelines are not yet in force and are nowhere near the initial proposal of setback distance.Wind Turbine Regulation Bill – 2020
Tabled by Sinn Fein, following on from previous 2014/17 BillSinn Féin withdraws bill which would prevent wind turbines being built in inland areas - 2021
Current 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines - January 2022
Still in force (500m setback), until 2019 Guidelines (4x turbine height) are finalised. Neither are anywhere near the initial proposal of setback distance.Dail Question: How much has been raised by the Public Service Obligation Levy since inception and how much was raised in 2020/2021? – Aug 2021
€393.13m was raised from Ireland’s electricity users in 2020/2021 to subsidise companies like RWE.EU Parliament backs labelling gas and nuclear investments as green - July 2022
Ireland will need to update its Energy Strategy and Mix accordingly