Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East, Albert Dolan has expressed serious concern over the failure of the project proposers to properly engage with the local community in relation to the proposed Belleville Solar Farm development.
Despite the scale of the project, concerns have been raised by local residents that only a handful of households were invited to attend the initial public consultation meeting. Furthermore, the second consultation meeting, scheduled for August 14, did not proceed as planned — leaving many in the community frustrated and uninformed about the scale and impact of the project.
Deputy Dolan stressed the importance of transparency and genuine engagement with communities when projects of this nature are being considered:
“Renewable energy projects are vital to Ireland’s transition to a sustainable future, but they must be developed in partnership with local communities, not behind closed doors.
“The people of Belleville and the surrounding areas deserve real and meaningful consultation before any planning application is lodged. Anything less represents a failure of process and a failure of respect for local communities.”
The Fianna Fáil TD is now calling on the proposers of the Belleville Solar Farm to restart the consultation process, ensuring that all local residents have an opportunity to be heard and to access clear, accurate information about the proposed development.
Deputy Dolan said that this is not about opposing renewable energy – it’s about fairness, respect, and accountability. Communities must be at the heart of the conversation when decisions of this scale are being made. I am calling on Power Capital to engage properly with the people of the area without further delay.”
