July 18, 2015
Ireland

Taoiseach warned over wind turbines in Mayo

Niall O'Connor | Irish Independent | 18/07/2015 | www.independent.ie

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been warned that changes to the regulations surrounding wind turbines will jeopardise jobs and investment in his own constituency of Mayo.

The wind-energy industry has lobbied both Mr Kenny and his department’s most senior civil servant ahead of the publication of new guidelines surrounding electricity-generating wind turbines.

The industry is deeply concerned over proposals to tighten the rules surrounding the required distance between properties and turbines, some of which are almost 50 metres taller than Dublin’s Spire.

Environment minister Alan Kelly has come under pressure from both Fine Gael and Labour TDs, who called for the set-back distance to be increased from 500 metres to at least 700 metres.

This has caused a dilemma for the Government, which faces being saddled with hefty fines if an agreed target of 40pc energy from renewable sources is not met by 2020.

It’s now emerged the Irish Wind Energy Association has warned the Taoiseach that projects in his own constituency of Mayo will be jeopardised if the current set-back standard is changed.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/07/18/taoiseach-warned-over-wind-turbines-in-mayo/