In May 2017, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and I, as energy Minister, signed off on the new wind energy guidelines providing a fair and balanced planning system taking due regard of local communities and individual families within the vicinity of turbines. Even though these new standards were opposed by some vested interests, the improved guidelines would effectively mean that in line with World Health Organization standards, a turbine louder than a bird would be shut down. However, four and a half years later these standards have yet to be implemented.

In 2017, I made it crystal clear that the new guidelines must be in place in advance of the first renewable energy auctions. However, the Government has now commenced the second round of auctions just as we are being told in the House that the noise aspect of the revised guidelines is again under review in order to facilitate an expansion of wind energy. What exactly is going on?

I will need to ask the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to come back with a more comprehensive reply than I can give. The Government is very keen to proceed with the expansion of wind energy both onshore and offshore. It is what we need to help save our planet and to end our dependence on fossil fuels. It is also what we need to improve energy security and energy prices. If we use more electricity generated from wind energy, we will not be as dependent as we are on oil and gas, the price of which we cannot control. I know I am not giving the Deputy the answer to the question he deserves.

It also needs to be balanced with the rights of individuals who live beside them.

It does.

That is the balance that is not in place.

I would not like us stop wind turbines that are louder than a bird. It would be hard to have any onshore wind-----

That comes from the World Health Organization.