To ask the Minister of the Environment whether he would consider speeding up the planning process for renewable energy applications.

The Department welcomes the contribution that renewables make to the drive to reduce carbon emissions and acknowledges the importance of processing these types of applications in a timely manner.

A number of short term reform measures have been initiated to improve performance and speed in decision making and to stimulate and support economic recovery in the region. A range of measures are currently in place which is intended to improve the speed of decision making for renewable energy project applications.

A Sub Group of the Planning Forum is considering development proposals for renewable energy development in the context of planning applications, licensing requirements and resources and structures for dealing with such proposals.

Planning staff are actively engaging with consultees to the planning process to ensure that any relevant information required in respect of renewable energy is submitted at the beginning of the process and consultation is focused and timely.

The specialist teams in Planning Headquarters who deal exclusively with specific types of renewable energy applications ensure that a consistent approach is taken. Specific training to planning staff on the assessment of planning applications for single wind turbines has just been completed and this will ensure consistency throughout Area Planning Offices.

In preparation for the transfer of planning functions to Local Councils, the Department will be fundamentally reviewing the system for measuring planning application processing targets.