Environment Minister Martin Cullen has defended new guidelines for the development of wind energy here.
At present, only 1% of Ireland's energy needs are produced from wind: the Government target is 13% by 2010.
When the 14-turbine windfarm opened at Carnsore Point two years ago, there were 23 windfarms across the country.
Since then, only two more have become operational.
Some local authorities have rejected windfarms for different reasons, and private companies trying to develop wind energy here say it is a very frustrating process.
New guidelines announced today by Minister Martin Cullen aim to bring a planning system geared, he says, towards wind energy to help achieve Government targets on climate change.
The Minister said the guidelines will stop a scatter-gun effect in planning which is happening at present by bringing better certainty to the siting of new windfarms.
He added that it was never the case that National Heritage Areas or Special Areas of Conservation should have been considered total exclusion zones for windfarms.
But a number of organisations have already criticised aspects of the new guidelines, saying they will lead to windfarm zones across the country.
