Element Power, the company behind the Greenwire wind energy export project, has outlined further details of its Community Benefit Programme.

Element Power has met with numerous voluntary community groups, development associations, local enterprise bodies and sporting clubs and societies across the five counties where the Greenwire project is proposed. These meetings have taken place as part of a series of public information days, in addition to an extensive consultation programme which has been underway for approximately one year now. The feedback garnered to date has been extremely positive regarding the company's Community Benefit Programme.

CEO of Element Power Ireland, Tim Cowhig, said: "We have seen first-hand the desperate effects which emigration has had on many parts of the Midlands. Many sporting organisations have seen their playing populations dramatically reduced and are struggling to survive. By creating employment as well as offering financial support to sporting organisations and groups which have a positive impact on local communities, Element Power intends to make a real and positive contribution to each area. We can deliver 10,000 construction jobs with the potential for 3,000 sustainable medium-term jobs.

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"This Community Benefit Programme is in addition to the very substantial fees which Greenwire proposes in payment to local authorities and landowners over the lifetime of the project. This sum of €1.5billion, would equate to 50% of the current annual income of the five local authorities, Donegal County Council is presently yielding that percentage of its annual rate income from wind energy. It is regrettable that those opposed to wind energy has chosen to dismiss, even ridicule, the employment and other economic benefits which Greenwire can bring at a time when such a catalyst for recovery was never more needed."

If granted planning permission for Greenwire, Element Power intends to establish a Community Benefit Programme to benefit the wider community where the wind farms are located. It would be established prior to construction and would operate for the duration of the wind farms commercial lifetime.

The Community Benefit Programme would consist of a Local Community Fund which would distribute financing annually to deserving projects within the communities where the wind farms are located. The Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) recommends developers establish a community fund of €1,000 per megawatt which would see Greenwire contribute an absolute minimum of €3m per annum or €90m over the lifetime of the project.

There would also be three additional funds related to education opportunities, energy projects and local enterprise. The Educational Fund would help finance educational initiatives for students in communities where wind farms are located; the near neighbour fund would finance practical energy projects for individual households adjacent to the wind farms, while the local enterprise fund would foster local enterprise and employment creation through the support of small local business. The company intends to direct a total of €250m into the Midlands by way of Community Benefit over the lifetime of Greenwire.

(CD/JP)