Tóibín: Clock ticking on North South Interconnector project

A PUBLIC meeting will be held this week on a new Aontú Bill that seeks to underground the North South Interconnector.

The online meeting will take place at 7.30pm on Thursday and those interested in attending should email peadartoibin@gmail.com.

Deputy Tóibín, the author of the Bill, said the clock is ticking down on this issue.

“We need to bury these cables once and for all. We have over 10 years of talk from the establishment parties and yet the project continues to proceed. The Aontú Bill, will, if passed, force the government to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the full cost and damage of over grounding the cables. This has never been done before. It would, I believe force the government to underground the North South Interconnector”.

“In order to improve the chances of getting this bill through the Dáil in time, I invited each TD in Meath to cosign this Bill. This is very unusual for any party to do, as usually party self interest means parties who develop such Bills keep it to themselves. However this issue is too important.

“Shockingly out of the six TDs only one TD other than myself has signed it to date. Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the last date that a TD can sign this Bill as it will be debated on the floor of the Dail on Tuesday the 25th May”.

“The public meeting this week will seek to build public support for the Bill and put pressure on the government. There are significant fears with regards threats to health especially threats of cancers and childhood leukaemia. There are fears with regards damage to value of homes, farms and business. The tourism, agriculture, the blood stock industry are all extremely alarmed”.