Fresh call for wind farm moratorium amid concerns across Kilkenny

A fresh local plea for a moratorium on new windfarm developments has been made in the Dáil, as public frustration grows across Kilkenny over the Government’s lack of updated national wind energy planning guidelines.

Sinn Féin TD Natasha Newsome Drennan has demanded a moratorium on new wind fam developments until planning guidelines, currently dating back to 2006, are updated to accommodate for increased height of modern turbines.

This comes after many calls from public representatives in Kilkenny to update the guidelines.

Kilkenny County Council previously agreed a motion back in April 2024 calling on the then Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to suspend all proposed wind farm planning applications until updated wind energy guidelines were published.

Wind energy policy had also been a significant source of controversy during the preparation and adoption process of the Kilkenny City and County Development Plan 2021–2027, particularly regarding the designation of areas considered suitable for wind farm development.

Whilst developing the plan, councillors voted to change the county’s wind energy policy. This included changing the status of Castlebanny from ‘acceptable in principle’ to ‘open for consideration’.

The council’s wind energy policy was then challenged by the Minister due to concerns raised by the Office of the Planning Regulator around alignment with national renewable energy.

The lengthy battle has left councillors frustrated at their inability to influence the development of wind energy with national guidelines not being updated.

“We have turbines that are double the height of what we have with our current guidelines,” Deputy Newsome Drennan stated at the Dáil.

“These planning guidelines are outdated. We always see our planning guidelines for housing, roads and public spaces being updated to fit for purpose but why are we seeing this double standard with wind turbines?”

The calls come as communities in Inistioge, Castlebanny and along the Laois/Kilkenny border appear to be growing further opposed to proposed developments.

The Seskin Preservation Group claim there are currently eight windfarms being proposed in the area. This includes the most recent development at Killoshulan on Spa Hill. They denote a local area total of 89 turbines.

Curraghmore Renewables have also been faced with increased community opposition for their proposed eight turbine development near Inistioge.

Some local residents and members of the film industry including Jim Sheridan have voiced their concerns that the village may lose some of its charm as a filming location.

Deputy Newsome Drennan stressed that communities deserve up-to-date planning guidelines for the modern turbines and called on the Government to publish new guidelines.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin responded by stating that the ‘guidelines are being worked on’.

“I believe there will be new guidelines brought forward by the Minister for Climate and the Minister for Housing, who are working together in respect of the planning statement to cover this,” he said. 

“I would be cautious of a moratorium. We are in the middle of an energy crisis at the moment, brought on by our dependence on fossil fuels. There is a balance needed, certainly, and there will be guidelines produced.”