Roche: Rural planning needs balance

MORE balance in rural planning has been called for by Environment Minister Dick Roche during a debate on renewable energy.

He revealed he got a “vituperative” e-mail accusing him of destroying scenic Ireland, one week after he published special planning guidelines for windfarms.

He also told the Select Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Local Government his grant scheme for individual householders installing solar panels ran into difficulty this year when some local authorities demanded people first obtain planning permission for the panels, the cost of which was greater than the grant available.