Planning permission was yesterday granted to Hibernian Windpower for a 24-turbine wind farm, with turbines up to 70 metres high and blades of 42 metres length, in a mountainous area of south Kerry.
The development will be the biggest in Kerry and one of the biggest in the country.
Hibernian, a subsidiary of ESB International, was the company involved in the controversial wind farm in the Slieve Aughty mountains in south Galway.
A consultant's report earlier this year found the construction of the €60 million Galway wind farm, combined with soft ground, was linked to the bog slide at Derrybrien.
In all 20 conditions, many with sub-conditions, have been attached to the planning permission which was sent out to the company yesterday.
Most deal with the risk of pollution and with run-off of surface water.
All watercourses are to be bridged before site development and drainage is to be channelled through the service road.
Forestry drainage systems in the site are to be back-filled to prevent surface water flowing through. Drainage of wet peat areas are to be avoided, with in-stream works only to be carried out between May and September.
Dr Catherine McMullin, honorary planning officer with An Taisce in Kerry, said she would await the full report from the council before deciding whether or not to appeal the council's decision.
In a submission on the wind farm application to Kerry County Council, An Taisce asked if the company could guarantee that the development on boggy ground on the high mountainous Coom area would not lead to landslides.
An Taisce also expressed concern about the visual impact of the farm in an area of "undiscovered scenic beauty".
There were lengthy and detailed submissions also from the South Western Regional Fisheries Board, expressing concern about potential damage to wildlife and to the headwaters of the Roughty River, an important salmonoid and sea trout river.
Hibernian had applied for 28 turbines in the €70 million development at Grousemount, Sillerthane and Ballagh, Kilgarvan.
Four turbines were refused, three because of their visibility along the public Morley's Bridge to Coolea road and one because it would be seen from the Kilgarvan to Bantry road, a designated tourist route in the Kerry county development plan.
The council sought and received from Hibernian a geotechnical report on the stability of the existing ground conditions and impact of the development on the site.
The report was to take into account the impact on the site and surrounding area during both construction and operational phases of the wind farm.
The geotechnical report found the site comprised of thin depth of peat and mineral overlying sandstone bedrock. These ground conditions were favourable for civil engineering construction, according to a letter accompanying the report from the company to the council of May 10th last.