Green Party Senator objects to wind farm overlooking Wild Atlantic Way 

A Green Party senator is opposing plans for a 175-metre-high eight wind-turbine wind farm overlooking the Wild Atlantic Way in west Clare.

Senator Roisin Garvey is one of a number of prominent politicians in Clare to oppose plans for the wind farm.

The proposed development site is located 5km to the east of Miltown Malbay and 7km to the south of Ennistymon.

Over 100 objections have been lodged against the Slieveacurry Ltd proposal and those objecting to the scheme include Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) and TDs, Violet Anne Wynne (SF) and Cathal Crowe (FF).

A number of members of Clare County Council have also lodged objections.

‘They cause division’

Senator Garvey said that new wind farms should not be allowed until new Government guidelines on wind energy are published.

She stated: “There are a lot of people locally who don’t want it there because they already have enough of wind-turbines in the area.”

Senator Garvey added: “I don’t think it is fair to say that Greens are always pushing for wind farms. We have always pushed for green energy in the right place.”

She said: “I have never been out demanding wind farms in my life and I don’t intend to start now. I am for wind farms if they are in the right place.”

Senator Garvey stated: “Everywhere these wind-farms go, they cause division. One side of the family getting money and another side of the family not getting anything out of it and that is the family split.”

She said: “Communities need to come together more and more, not be divided.”

Slieveacurry Ltd has told Clare Co Council that its associated Cork firm, Enerco Energy and its associated companies have over 640 Megawatts (MW) of wind generating capacity in commercial operation and have a further 400MW of projects at various stages in its portfolio to assist in meeting Ireland’s renewable energy targets.

Enerco state that it currently has projects operating or in construction in counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Galway, Mayo and Donegal.

Enerco state that based on its Clare scheme will have a combined output of approximately 33.6MW.

The firm state that if the west Clare scheme proceeds, the local community will receive up to €3 million during the lifetime of the operation of the wind-farm.

Documents lodged with the application state that the community fund “will support and facilitate projects and initiatives including youth, sport and community facilities, schools, educational and training initiatives, and wider amenity, heritage, and environmental projects”.

The firm also state that 70 jobs will be created through the wind-farm.

In documents lodged with the application, Enerco state that there are 61 occupied dwellings within 1.5km of the proposed turbine locations with 14 of those dwellings belonging to landowners who form part of the proposed development”.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) stated that the closest third party dwelling is located approximately 700 metres from the nearest proposed turbine location.

A decision is due on the application later this month.