Longford councillor calls for national guidelines on solar farms

A councillor has called on Longford County Council to write to the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien requesting that national guidelines be developed and implemented for the application, planning, and development of solar farms and wind turbines.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Sean Mimnagh submitted a motion at last week's September meeting of the local authority calling for regulations to be put in place.

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The Lanesboro-based representative also outlined 'these guidelines should promote consistency, transparency, comprehensive environmental assessment, robust community consultation and protection of agricultural and ecological interests' across Ireland.

"I have a big fear now about what is happening across the country and in Longford as well.

"Companies are coming in now, chancing their arm looking to develop these things, going through the planning stages.
"If they get one out of five [through], they sell it and move on."

Cllr Mimnagh said in recent years the council has approved four large-scale solar farms in Longford but presently only one of them has progressed.

"There is now a possibility that two more developments in south Longford and at the moment this is causing huge divisions in our communities.

"And all of this is coming on the back of no dedicated guidelines for these developments.

"I am also very concerned that the guidelines are not a priority for the Government and I am calling on the council to write to them and see how are we going to get some sort of guidelines in place before we continue going with these projects in the county."

Fianna Fáil Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi seconded the motion and supported her party colleague.

She stated it was important to have regulations so there would be less uncertainty.

"It is currently allowing for speculation and if projects go through the planning stage there should be a timeline for them to progress to implementation and we certainly need clear guidelines and consistency around this."

Fine Gael Cllr Paul Ross said he also supported Cllr Mimnagh's motion and he added it is 'extraordinary' there are no guidelines in place.

"I find it utterly extraordinary that we have a European and national plan and commitment and a Climate Action Plan 2030 includes Ireland's renewable energy target for 2030 yet we have no guidelines whatsoever for solar, wind and renewable energy.

"In fairness the planners and the council are working off planning guidelines.

"When I saw the motion I actually thought we had wind farm regulations going back 10 years ago but they were draft guidelines and they never came into law from what I can see."

Director of Services Barbara Heslin said they will write to Minister O'Brien and she acknowledged that Cllr Ross was correct and there were 'vague' guidelines drafted in 2006.

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"They are currently being revised and updated but as soon as we receive them we will implement them."