295B.—(1) Subject to subsection (3), where an application for permission for renewable energy development or repowering development is made to An Coimisiún Pleanála under section 291, and the period for making a decision under subsection (1) or (2) of section 295 would expire after the expiry of the relevant period referred to in subsection (2), a decision in relation to the application shall be made before the expiry of the relevant period.

(2) The relevant period referred to in subsection (1) is —

(a) in the case of renewable energy development with an electrical capacity of 150kW or more, 65 weeks from the date of the notice referred to in section 295A(a), or

(b) in the case of renewable energy development with an electrical capacity of less than 150kW or repowering development, 52 weeks from the date of the notice referred to in section 295A(a).

(3) Where An Coimisiún Pleanála considers that permission should nevertheless be given for the development for imperative reasons of overriding public interest in accordance with section 177AA, a decision in relation to the application shall be made before the expiry of —

(a) in the case of renewable energy development with an electrical capacity of 150kW or more, 3 years from the date of the notice referred to in section 295A(a), or

(b) in the case of renewable energy development with an electrical capacity of less than 150kW or repowering development, 2 years from the date of the notice referred to in section 295A(a).]