Wind farm benefit scheme payments should increase to help struggling community groups in Mayo
COMMUNITY benefit schemes from energy operations like wind farms should be reviewed, with increased payments to local organisations like meals on wheels, which are struggling as costs rise.
There are reports of beef being replaced with burgers on menus, a bakery forced to shut down, while a record number of people are in arrears with energy bills, at a time when Mayo hosts some of the most profitable energy operators in Ireland.
People are seeing next to nothing coming back, said Councillor Harry Barrett, who stated: “Meals on wheels cannot afford butter while these make millions.”
He tabled a motion asking Mayo County Council to undertake a full review of its existing Community Benefit Scheme to examine how funds are currently allocated, whether priority services such as meals on wheels are being adequately supported, and how transparency and accessibility can be improved.
He asked the council to engage with energy developers and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) to negotiate increased contributions from operators in Mayo, recognising the exceptional profits being made in the energy sector compared to the financial struggles of local communities.
A strategic plan for Mayo should be prepared in response to the government’s Private Wires Policy Statement (July 2025), ensuring that new private wire developments cannot bypass Mayo communities and advocating for national regulations requiring private wire operators to make mandatory contributions to local benefit funds.
The aim of his motion is to secure a fair local dividend from both existing and emerging energy policies.
They had to insist that when energy is generated in Mayo, that the people will benefit.
Councillor Michael Loftus said a previous motion had called for increased tariffs of €10,000 per kilowatt of energy produced, but he didn't know where that had gone.
Councillor Gerry Coyle said in one case the council had put in a charge, but it was removed by An Bord Pleanála following an appeal on another issue, with the council then negotiating what was a reduced deal with the developer. He agreed with this but it should have been index linked.
“We don't get the benefits we deserve from the wind and gas,” he observed.
Councillor Barrett noted a disparity in the charges paid by Oweninny compared to Sheskin wind farm, saying they have a moral responsibility to pay the higher fee as the biggest wind farm operator in Ireland with the largest turbines in Europe.
Chief executive Kevin Kelly said the community benefit element is now established by the energy regulator. The requirement is to change either the legislation or methodology used by the regulator in terms of how much is to be paid by the companies. It was about getting that changed so there is a bigger dividend into communities.