New planning guidelines on wind energy projects should prevent a recurrence of "Derrybrien landslide-type" situations, according to the Department of the Environment.
The guidelines, which are due to be released shortly by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, will also encourage local authorities to zone for suitable wind farm sites in county development plans.
The guidelines were prepared after the Derrybrien landslide at the ESB-sponsored 60 megawatt wind farm project in south Galway last October, and stress the importance of carrying out geological assessments.
The failure to ensure there is qualified geological approval of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) was highlighted after the Derrybrien landslide by the Institute of Geologists of Ireland.
The guidelines stop short of the institute's recommendation on EIAs, and on the need to employ professional geologists in local authorities.
However, they do highlight other environmental considerations which planners must take into account.
These include the impact of such projects on natural heritage and designated areas under the EU habitats directive, archaeology, the built heritage, tourism and recreation, noise, safety, electromagnetic interference, "shadow flicker" or the effect on domestic house windows, and distance from neighbouring wind projects.
Details of the guidelines were presented yesterday on the Department's behalf by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), the national agency for promotion of renewable energy, at a conference which it hosted in Galway.
They include a "step-by-step" guide to analysis by local authority planners of suitable areas for wind energy which can be incorporated into county development plans.
Information from SEI's new wind atlas on wind speeds in particular areas should also be drawn on to inform such zonings.
The guidelines emphasis the importance of consultation with relevant planning authorities at "pre-planning" stage, though this is not mandatory, and the use of grid operators or qualified electrical contractors to suggest feasible options for grid connecting lines. This would avoid a situation where planning permission was given for a wind farm but the grid connection route was not then approved.
They also emphasise the need for developers to prepare EIAs where required.
The guidelines are subject to public consultation, and will be published in the autumn.
Mr Mark O'Donnell of SEI cited a recent survey of public attitudes to wind farms which showed that the vast majority of people favoured such developments, and only 9 per cent opposed them.
