Renewable energy industry has ‘no confidence’ in government to deliver on targets

A letter sent by an industry body to Darragh O’Brien, the Minister for Housing, has outlined how renewable energy projects are waiting well over a year for planning decisions to be made

Darragh O’Brien, the Minister for Housing: received sharply critical letter from Wind Energy Ireland last week. Picture: Fergal Phillips

The renewable energy industry has “absolutely no confidence” that key state agencies can deliver the major infrastructural upgrades needed to decarbonise the economy.

In a letter sent last week to Darragh O’Brien, the Minister for Housing, Wind Energy Ireland (WEI), an industry body, outlined how renewable energy projects are waiting well over a year for a planning decision, which is more than three times the target deadline of 18 weeks set for strategic infrastructure applications.