'Take this message away, these pylons will never be built'

Meath's elected representatives were given a clear message to take back to Dail Eireann and to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Denis Naughten - The North South Interconnector will NEVER be built overground.

The North East Pylon Pressure Campaign called a public meeting to respond to An Bord Pleanala's decision to grant approval for the North South Interconnector and the construction of 300 pylons and to outline its response to it.

The 632 page An Bord Pleanala report which granted EirGrid permission to proceed with the controversial project was dicussed over a marathon three hour meeting and detailed the impacts on heritage, health, landscape and property.

The meeting also heard contributions from Cavan and Monaghan who will be equally affected by the project.

Outlining some of the detail contained in the ABP report the meeting heard that over 4,000 lorries of soil would need to be moved to accommodate the towers, that planned access to lands were unviable, that cultural and historic sites such as the Hill of Tara, Teltown and Donaghpartick would be impacted and that over 1,000 properties would lie inside 500 metres of pylons.

Over 600 people packed into the Headfort Arms Hotel to hear from local TDs Thomas Byrne, Shane Cassells, Peadar Toibin and Regina Doherty as well as MEP Matt Carty. Minsisters Damien English and Helen McEntee didn't attend.

 

The NEPPC's Aimee Treacy said the report was 'unacceptable to the people of Meath' and that the NEPPC would not recognise the decision of ABP.

Judicial reviews and legal challenges are among options that will be explored now by the NEPPC while a meeting of NEPPC officals and Minister Naughten is planned.

Landowner, Cyril Darcy said he has spent a good bit of time at the oral hearing and 'It was the greatest display ofcollusion between state bodies.'

'One day when an Eirgrid official was accused of lying, the inspector just twidlled her pen.

'An Bord Plenala is a joke. 

'It's an abberation of democracy,' he said.

He told the public representatives present that it was up to them and he called on all political parties to work together.

Demot Lally of Meath IFA said that it was 50 years since the farmers campaign, when farmers went to jail and if Eirgrid try and go ahead with their proposals there will be more farmers prepared to got to jail.

Deputy Peadar Toibin said he had a bill before the Dail and he urged the other politicians, if they were not happy with it, to sit down with him and work with him.

Deputy Thomas Byrne was asked if he was prepared to bring the government down over the issue, but he responded 'The issue would make the 9 o clock news on the day the goverment fell, but would be forgotten in the election campaign.

'What will change it, will not be a Dail vote but a political decision and we will use every power we have to get them to change this. We will be putting pressure on the goernment,' he said.

Government Chief Whip, Regina Doherty, explained that if a bill involves money, it is only the government that can pass it.

She said she has been talking to Environment Minister, Denis Naughten on this issue several times and has arranged a meetin between him and the NEPPC  for early February.

Watch the main exchanges from the Q&A here.