THOSE BEHIND DUBLIN ARRAY WINDFARM SHOULD BE DOING MORE TO ALERT NORTHSIDERS TO THEIR PROPOSALS - KENNY

Posted on May 28, 2013 9:46 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Dublin Bay North Labour Party TD Seán Kenny has said that Saorgus Energy Ltd, the company proposing to build a wind farm known as the Dublin Array should be doing more to alert constituents not living in Howth to the proposals they have put forward for a wind farm on the Kish Bank.

"These proposals have been ongoing since 2009. Kish Bank, and Bray Bank, where a second wind farm has been proposed are approximately 10kms from the Dublin and Wicklow coasts. The company behind the proposal recently published an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in respect of the proposal, which is known as Dublin Array. A public consultation process is currently on-going. However, viewing of the proposals is only available in one location in the Dublin Bay North area, that of Howth Library."

"There are other locations to view the information, but they are in the Public Libraries of Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey, Bray and Greystones - well away from Dublin Bay North, which makes it very difficult for Northsiders to easily access the information. The material may also be viewed during this period at the Saorgus Project Information Office in Dublin at Hall 10A (Private Pavilion), Anglesea Road Entrance, Royal Dublin Society, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. There is also a website at http://www.dublinarray.com/ - but crucially, some of the information is missing from this website and this includes the highly important visual aspects of the wind farm."

"I think this is quite simply not good enough, given the scale of the proposals and that a wider consultation across Dublin City needs to be undertaken, especially in those communities all along the coast line."

"In order to construct a wind farm on the foreshore, consents from the Commission for Energy Regulation are also required, including a Licence to Generate Electricity and an Authorisation to Construct a Generating Station. Planning permission in respect of any land-based infrastructure associated with the development is also necessary."

"Issues such as noise and visual impact in respect of any specific proposed development are investigated in an applicant's EIS and where applicable, Natural Impact Statement, which are made publicly available. My Department's assessment of those aspects of a development will have regard to the information contained in the EIS, the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan, the associated Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment as well as the best available advice from planning and environmental impact advisors."

"Given all of these steps that need to be undertaken, there appears to be some way to go yet in terms of this project getting the green light, but more awareness by constituents is clearly required if Dubliners are to have a real say in what happens. I call on Saorgus Energy Ltd to make all of the information more widely available, both on their website and across Dublin, including the visual aspects of the wind farm proposals."