1747. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out the methodology used for the regional renewable electricity capacity allocations in National Policy Objective 74 of the National Planning Framework. [57586/26]

The National Planning Framework Revision (NPF) process was finalised and approved by Government and the Oireachtas in April 2025. The finalised revised NPF reflects the significant policy changes and other factors that have taken place since 2018, allowing the updated policy approach to be integrated into the planning system.

One such significant area of policy development relates to planning for climate change in the context of an accelerating climate crisis. Accordingly, the revised NPF has included new policies in relation to renewable energy development, including the identification of regional renewable electricity capacity allocations in order to facilitate the accelerated roll-out and delivery of renewable electricity infrastructure for on-shore wind and solar generation development and to support the achievement of the 2030 national targets set out in the Climate Action Plan.

Incorporating these targets and allocating same to the regional level within the revised NPF is specifically addressed in Section 7.5.4 of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Report, published at draft and approval stage of the revision process. Included in this report is the comparison of identified scenarios to achieve the incorporation of the targets to a regional level, based on a number of considerations including grid connection availability and Just Transition, amongst others. Each of the alternatives were assessed against each of the strategic environmental objectives, which included population and human health, and the preferred environmental alternative was identified as it represented the most achievable, equitable, and environmentally acceptable allocation in the context of meeting the Climate Action Plan targets.

The preferred alternative was based on the examination of national vs. regional targets and of 5 spatial approaches, through the SEA process, Spatial Alternative 5 (Balanced Approach) was selected as the preferred alternative, reflecting a balancing of the above factors. The regional targets have been developed through a multi-criteria geospatial analysis carried out on behalf of SEAI and Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, the methodology for which is set out in the SEA Environmental Report.

The preferred alternative, at set out in the SEA, provides national policy and a national target and in addition defines regional allocations to be applied by the regional authorities as the implementation of a coherent plan led approach to planning for onshore renewables has the greatest potential to improve the environmental outcomes across all indicators.

National Policy Objective 74 provides that each Regional Assembly must plan, through their Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES), for the delivery of the regional renewable electricity capacity allocations indicated for onshore wind and solar, and identify allocations for each of the local authorities, based on the best available scientific evidence and in accordance with legislative requirements, in order to meet the overall national target. The preparation of the three RSESs under the Act of 2024 commenced in March of this year.

These allocations are to be integrated into the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies and the associated Regional Renewable Energy Strategies and in addition are to be translated to county-level targets that will inform city and county development plans.