Wind energy guidelines
Deputy John Brassil again asks for a definite date for promised wind energy guidelines. The Minister says draft guidelines should be published within weeks, followed by a statutory consultation before finalisation.
It is appropriate the Minister, Deputy Naughten, is in the House because I am asking this question on promised legislation on wind energy guidelines for the third time. The first time I was told it would be before the summer recess. The second time I was told it would be early in the new year. I am asking the Minister for a third time to give me a definite date when these guidelines will be published.
Comment on this
The Minister, Deputy Naughten, and I have had a number of meetings on this. We are close to agreement at this stage.
We will hopefully be in a position within the next few weeks to publish draft guidelines. Those guidelines will then undergo a consultation process, which we are required to facilitate under EU law. At the end of that process, we will be able to finalise a new set of wind energy guidelines. The process is under way.