Wind power provided a record-setting 34% of the country's electricity last month, Wind Energy Ireland has said.

This was the most power ever generated by wind in the month of May, and over the first five months of 2022, wind has provided 37% of Ireland's electricity.

Wind Energy Ireland chief Noel Cunniffe said: "Irish windfarms have cut our carbon emissions and helped insulate Irish consumers from our dependence on expensive imported gas.

"We expect to see new windfarms connected before the end of 2022, and with solar farms connecting to the grid this year for the first time too, the two technologies will be able to work together to push fossil fuels off the Irish electricity system."

However, Wind Energy Ireland warned that delays in the planning system are slowing the rate of connection.

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It said that although An Bord Pleanála has a statutory timeframe to decide applications from wind energy projects in 18 weeks, the average time is over a year.

Mr Cunniffe said: "Our planning system must be urgently reformed and properly resourced."