Planning exemptions for solar panel bills soon to become a reality – Greens welcome update from the Taoiseach
Steven Matthews TD, welcomed today’s comments from Taoiseach Mícheal Martin who confirmed that progress to planning exemptions for solar panels is expected within the next three weeks through the Department of Housing.
“With the recent introductions of the micro generation support scheme and national retrofit plan, it is absolutely critical to update our Planning and Development Regulations that will allow for the installation of solar panels on public buildings, schools and agricultural buildings without planning permission. We need to pick up the pace in order to meet the growing demand for solar panels and meeting our climate targets. I welcome the news today that this will progress in the next three weeks and look forward to an updated from Minister Darragh O’Brien.”
A bill brought to the Seanad by the Green Party in June 2021 will be debated at committee stage tomorrow (16th February). The Bill introduces planning exemptions to the Planning and Development Regulations, which will allow for the installation of solar panels on public buildings, including schools, without planning permission. It aims to reduce the barriers associated with solar panel installation, including the employment of architects in advance of installation, the submission of multiple planning applications and limitations surrounding ground mounted solar panels.
Senator Pauline O’Reilly who brought the Bill to the Seanad stated;
“Planning laws that restrict the use of solar panels on schools, farms and community buildings have all but stopped development and need to be urgently overhauled. At the moment, schools and public buildings need to seek planning permission to install even one solar panel and this can take months of paperwork and formalities. There are also restrictions on the size and number of panels that can be used, and this means they are too small for the needs of the building. This bill opens up opportunities for schools and other public buildings to install enough panels to finally power some or all of their electricity needs and to sell any excess electricity that they generate back to the grid.”
The recent microgeneration schemes announced by Minister Eamon Ryan also depends on the planning exemptions introduced by the bill. Microgeneration will allow farms, households and communities with small installations of solar panels to be paid a competitive market rate for electricity that they export to the grid.
Senator Róisín Garvey, Green Party Spokesperson for Rural Development and Enterprise, Trade and Employment said;
“As a rural representative I’m delighted to see that farmers can finally be paid for electricity that they produce thanks to the Microgeneration Scheme introduced by Minister Eamon Ryan. However, it is absolutely critical to remove the barriers that are preventing them from taking part in the scheme. I welcome the progress of the Green Party Bill and the announcement from the Taoiseach today. This will mean sustainable energy and a stable source of income for farmers, community groups and individuals alike can finally become a reality.”
