Claims SDLP and SF opposed wind farms in Derry & Strabane rebutted by Durkan during Stormont debate - video Dailymotion

Claims SDLP and SF opposed wind farms in Derry & Strabane rebutted by Durkan during Stormont debate

Transcript

00:00The SDLP have repeatedly repeated those words, that there's serious opposition in this House.

00:06Yet the SDLP, and in support of Sinn Féin at the time, in the very place where the planning

00:12controls are held, are upheld, recently voted against renewables in Derry and Shriban Council.

00:20That the policy would reaffirm its presumption against wind farms was the title of the motion

00:26that the SDLP supported, therefore against renewables. So yet in this Chamber, in front

00:32of the cameras and for everyone to see, they raise concerns about the rate of renewables growth

00:36and what the executive parties are doing to do it and do about it. But when it comes to the place

00:41where they're not in opposition but they're actually in control of and control of planning

00:45policy, they oppose it. And I will give way to any of them if they want to explain how in here they

00:51say one thing and they say something different in the place where the planning conditions and

00:56planning things are held.

00:57Apologies for not being quicker to respond when his colleague invited it. I was just

01:04digging out the piece to which he referred, wherein council in Derry, City and Shriban

01:09Council, voted a presumption against any developments unless they would not

01:14adversely impact or erode the intrinsic appeal of the AONB. Now Alliance don't have any

01:20councillors in Derry and Shriban, but they do have power in DERA. Can the Minister tell me if

01:26his party colleague, Minister for Agriculture and the Environment, will be changing DERA's

01:32approach to planning applications in AONBs?

01:37And the Member has an extra minute.

01:39I'm not quite sure where that introduction came from to me. Again, I'm not the Minister

01:43for the Environment. I'm sure the Minister, I'm sure the Member could raise that

01:48by various means rather than interjecting. But anyway, we'll carry on.

01:52The North West, with its rich wind and tidal resources, should be leading the way. Offshore

01:59wind in the North Channel, tidal energy along the Donegal coastline, and solar expansion

02:05in rural areas will create a thriving renewable hub. Investing in infrastructure at Lysa Halley

02:13Port, for example, expanding supply chain capabilities, and supporting Magee and North

02:18West Regional College in training the workforce of the future would establish DERA as a key

02:24player in the green economy. This is a chance to reverse years of economic neglect.

02:30Meanwhile, planning remains one of the biggest obstacles to progress. Wind and solar projects

02:35are stuck in the system for years, while offshore development is held back by outdated policies

02:41and bureaucracy. The Department for Economy and the Department for Infrastructure must work

02:47together to streamline approvals and ensure clear timelines for projects. Sony has repeatedly

02:54warned that the current developer-led grid approach is inefficient and costly. We need

03:00a plan-led system that expands grid capacity proactively rather than reactively. A key part

03:06of this is the urgent need for the second north-south interconnector, which may be installed

03:11and may not be completed until 2031. This delay is unacceptable and risks having a devastating effect

03:19on our energy security. Of course, planning reform must be responsible and consider local

03:24communities, but we cannot let endless red tape hold back progress. The people of Northern Ireland

03:30are behind us. Only 5% of those polled in Derry oppose the 80% renewables target,

03:37while 72% believe their council is not doing enough to promote renewables.