The rural councillor has raised her concerns with Planning Service. Cllr Haughey said, “The Department of Environment encourages people to install renewable energy sources such as wind turbines, solar panels etc.. to help save our environment. However Planning Service, which is under the responsibility of the Department of Environment does little to help those who are pursuing this type of energy.
“A number of constituents have contacted me who are waiting for the outcome of the planning applications for wind turbines and other renewable energy sources. Some of these people have been waiting 6 months for approval and I believe that is completely unacceptable.
“This was an issue I raised some years ago with Planning Service and I was given assurances back then that ‘green applications’ would be not be held up unnecessarily in the planning process. Why then are people having to wait 6 months plus for planning approval for worthy applications?
“This is another example of a government department in disarray.
“I have written to the Minister for Environment to request that this issues is resolved as a matter of urgency and that planning applications for renewable energy are processed quickly through the fast-track system.
“People hoping to install renewable energy should be given every encouragement and opportunity to complete these projects, not put off by layers of red tape and bureaucracy.”