I refer to the previous statement the Taoiseach made in regard to the guidelines on wind energy and the environmental assessment. There is a fear among communities in the midlands that these will not be published until after the local elections and that there is a cynical ploy that people will not see these guidelines before they go to the polls. Will the Taoiseach commit to publishing the assessment and the guidelines before the local elections?

I have been informed that the indicative timetable for the publication is quarter four of 2013. The draft guidelines will last for a period of six weeks to two months to allow for publication of the final guidelines in 2014. I assume that the quarter four guidelines will be adhered to. They will be the draft guidelines and will last for a period of six weeks to two months.

When they are published in draft form, everybody will have their say on them at that stage.

There is an environmental assessment to be published next year. That is also a key aspect of this.

That will take account of matters like the evolution of wind turbine technologies, the experience to date in the application of the current guidelines, noise issues and Ireland's binding targets in relation to renewable energy. As I have said, we are conscious of the concern that exists in many communities about these issues. At the same time, we recognise the importance of clean and renewable energy as part of our future environmental strategy. When the final wind energy development guidelines are published, they will take all of these views into account. I will come back to the Deputy on the environmental assessment issue that he raised.