Wind farms must be strategically and sustainably developed, including meaningful consultation with local residents - Violet-Anne Wynne TD
Celebrating last week’s announcement by Clare County Council that the planning application for a wind farm in Cahermurphy has been rejected, Sinn Féin TD for the county Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne states that the Government should be looking at off-shore wind farms as an alternative to land based farms.
Coillte and Mid Clare Renewable Energy Windfarm Ltd. (MCRE) had lodged an application with Clare Co. Co. earlier this year, but last Friday it was announced that the application has been rejected.
Teachta Wynne said:
“The residents who were campaigning against the windfarm raised very legitimate concerns. I was approached several months ago and asked to work with them to raise their voices to the council and advocate against the MCRE development.
“When I visited the proposed site and saw that there was already a windfarm in the vicinity, I understood that another development would not be best placed there. The residents already have had issues with perpetual shadow flicker.
“However, wind energy must be part of the new green deal and form an essential part of the range of more carbon-neutral energy sources we will transition to in the future. My colleague Brian Stanley TD has brought forward legislation on three occasions that offer sensible placement and management of windfarms development that will allow us to harness the unrivalled cross-Atlantic winds we have here in Ireland, without compromising the quality of life of those who live nearby.
“The Government have known for some time now that the wind farm regulation 2006 is outdated and not fit for purpose and therefore should be replaced without any further delay. This legislation must also be retrospective to encompass any wind farms that have already lodged planning permission”
“I was eager to celebrate with the Cahermurphy residents who I was working with on this issue and I was happy to see that Clare Co. Co. heeded the objections of many constituents – but I am not against windfarms in every instance.
“We should be looking to other EU states who have managed to develop wind energy infrastructure safely such as Denmark, who are paving the way for off-shore wind farms."