McCormack wants update of wind farm regulations

A Fianna Fáil councillor has called for the immediate enactment of updated wind energy guidelines saying the current regulations are "not in the remotest way fit for purpose".

Cllr Vinny McCormack, cathaoirleach of the Athlone Moate Municipal District, at the September meeting called on the executive to write to minister for climate, environment and energy to expedite the new regulations with immediate effect.

"Wind energy guidelines published in 2006 are still in operation and are serving no purpose at this time. The size of the wind energy developments that are now being constructed bear no relevance to the regulations set out 19 years ago," Cllr McCormack said.

Draft proposals were drawn up in 2019, but have yet to be enacted, Cllr McCormack expressing his disappointment that those regulations have "yet to be implemented".

"Large scale wind farms are having a real impact on people across the country, from health and environmental perspectives, so it is a matter of urgency that these regulations are enacted immediately. There is absolutely no point battling on with this issue for another few years," Cllr McCormack said.

Supporting the his proposal, Cllr Tom Farrell said that the local authority "would know were we stand" when the new guidelines are updated and published.

"At the moment we are all in ‘no man’s land, it’s simply not good enough," Cllr Farrell said.