The government has revealed that the promised wind farm planning guidelines have been delayed until the end of 2018, after Sinn Féin's Brian Stanley TD posed the question in the Dáil this week.

Last year, the guidelines were promised for the first quarter of 2018.

Mr Stanley, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Communications Climate Action and Environment, said: "Now the Ministers state further delay, while rural communities are not afforded proper planning protection. The outdated and completely inadequate 2006 guidelines remain in force.”

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"Sinn Féin put forward a bill last year that would have provided a legal setback distance from homes for wind turbines and community ownership options but this was rejected by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

"We need greater community acceptance and involvement in renewable energy developments."

Mr Stanley used Denmark and Germany as good examples for Ireland as both countries have "extensive community involvement in renewable developments, and both produce more energy from renewable sources than this state".

"We need to develop a wide range of renewable energy sources, including wind, but we need to get communities on board," he added.

(CM/MH)