Politicians get exercised over power struggle
DRUMCONRATH-based MEP Mairead McGuinness has said that the concerns of local residents and communities about the proposed new power line running through Meath must be fully addressed.
Following a meeting with Eirgrid, the promoters of the project on Monday, Ms McGuinness said that the public consultation process currently underway must answer all of the many concerns raised by the public.
"On Monday, I had the opportunity to bring those issues directly to the project team and I have asked for a detailed response to specific concerns raised by members of the public. Eirgrid will be coming back to me on these later this week.
"The concerns relate mainly to the health impact of electromagnetic fields, why the power lines are over-ground rather than underground and worries about the power lines running close to homes.
"The proposed power line is causing deep anxiety in the areas covered by the three route options identified by the company. This anxiety is understandable given the scale of the project," she said.
A further open day in Meath will be held on 29th November in the Old Darnley Lodge Hotel, Athboy, from 3pm to 8pm.
According to Eirgrid, the company charged with ensuring that the national grid can feed into the local network, unless new infrastructure is built, demand for electricity will outstrip the capacity of the existing lines to carry the increased demand.
The Meath-Cavan power project involves running a 400kV line from Kingscourt to Woodland. A linked Cavan-Tyrone interconnector will provide a north-south link and is part of plans to create an all-island electricity market.
"Because of the EU funding involved in this project, I will be asking the EU Commission to also address the concerns raised by the local communities likely to be impacted by the development," she said.
She added that the timeframe involved in the Meath-Cavan project is for feedback on the three routes to be communicated to the company into the new year. "When a final route is chosen, the company will go forward to An Bord Pleanala for planning. Members of the public have a seven-week period in which to raise objections and there is also the possibility of a public hearing.
"Given the scale of the project, a public hearing may be required to address all of the many concerns raised," said the MEP. The construction phase is not likely to begin until 2009.
Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said that the proposed electricity line has to go through a planning process and that people with concerns were entitled to express their fears.
He said that Eirgrid wants to keep the line 50m away from schools and villages and that anyone who thinks their school or village is within that distance should make their concerns known. He also advised that grounds of opposition such as property devaluation and visual amenity would weigh stronger with An Bord Pleanala than a case about health implications
He said that although we may not need it now, by 2009-2010, Ireland was going to need electricity coming in from the North and that it was all about "trying to keep a balance".
He added: "I can understand people not wanting to take a chance. People will have concerns, no matter what is said about there being no health risks. This is a democratic system and they have the right to make their views known."
Meanwhile, Meath County Council is to convey its opposition to over-ground cabling by Eirgrid in the county in a letter to the company. The council received a presentation at its October meeting from Eirgrid on its plans for Meath.
Council chairman, Colr Nicholas Killian, told this week`s November meeting of the council that it had been agreed that Eirgrid should be invited to address the county council`s area meetings this month.
Independent councillor Brian Fitzgerald said there was huge concern in the county about this project. "There`s no absolutely no reason why this cannot be underground," said Colr Fitzgerald.
Colr John Farrelly said the council should seek a meeting with the Minister for Energy, Eamonn Ryan. Every meeting held in the county on the issue was getting an attendance of 400-plus people, he claimed.
COuoncillors generally were concerned about the proposal for over-ground cabling.
The council`s director of services for roads and transport, Eugene Cummins, however, advised councillors to tread cautiously. To install underground cabling could be up to 10 times more expensive and potential investors in Meath would not be happy with this extra cost.
