Penrose to publish Private Members bill on windfarms

At the meeting, called by the newly-formed Lakelands Wind Farm Information Group (LWFIG) in Mullingar on Monday night, Dáil deputy Willie Penrose outlined details of a private members' bill he was sending to the ceann comhairle of the Dáil. The bill was aimed at addressing noise and shadow flicker, and regulating the distance turbines must be from dwellings, recommending that be 10 times the height of the turbine. Deputy Penrose said the bill would require promoters of such projects to provide residents with details of their intentions; and require them to advertise in local media dates of public meetings on projects, before lodging planning applications, which would ensure the Aarhus Convention requirements on public consultation were adhered to. However, he stressed, while he would be pushing to have his bill put on the Dáil agenda, there is a "lottery" system in place for private members. He said the purpose of the bill, the Environment and Public Health (Wind Turbines) Bill, is to ensure that wind energy developments do not adversely affect the health and well being of people due to the close proximity of wind turbines to their homes. It will also ensure that there is suitable community consultation and participation in wind farm development planning.