‘Our main concern is the health risks to ourselves, future generations, our staff and our cattle’

A YOUNG Bective farmer has spoken of his fears for the health of his family, his staff and future generations, if the two giant pylons proposed for his farm are installed.

Michael Lally runs a dairy farm at Tribley, Bective with his father, Francis and uncle, Dermot. He is the third generation to farm that land, but said; "I don' t know if I want my family continuing on in this business with a such a health risk.

"I've gone to all the rallies and campaigns and the biggest concern for everyone is the health risk of these high-powered lines.

"I remember walking under the power lines in Culmullen with florescent bulbs and they actually lit up from the magnetic fields.

"We would be working underneath or in close proximity to these lines every day," he said.

"Our main concern is the health risks to ourselves, our future generations, our staff and our cattle.

Michael believes the erection of the pylons will not alone put his health and that of his family members and farm workers at risk, it will also have a detrimental affect on the health of his cattle.

"I've been farming full time for the past four years. It is a dairy farm and is very much grass-based. The power lines will run right through the farm. In the grazing season, the cattle will be grazing and walking under these lines and so will we. They will be just outside the farmyard.

"The success of any dairy farm is down to running a successful herd. The last thing we want are these power lines affecting their health, their productivity, their fertility.

"How can we have a successful breeding season with cows under these lines 24 hour a day."

"It is going to make it very difficult to recruit and retain staff, who would be working very close to those power lines. Skilled workers in the agriculture industry is a bit of an issue already," he said.

"As well as being a huge health risk, they will be a major eyesore in an important heritage area.

"We are beside Bective Abbey and Tara, close to Trim and in the heart of the Boyne Valley. When Covid hit it was very quiet here and we realised just how many people come to visit the heritage sites here.

"You would think they would want to protect an area like this by putting the pylons underground. That would be the right thing to do for the sake of the people, the farmers and businesses.

"I know that with a growing population the electricity network is under pressure. If they put the power lines underground, it would have been accepted."

Michael said the pylons will take away a hug chunk of their land, and access to the pylon sites and construction will destroy the whole farm.

"Then you have the worry about rights of way and the danger of working with farm machinery around these lines.

"We have had three generations farming here. My brother is working in New Zealand at the moment, but intends to come home and start farming here too. We are very family orientated, but I don't know if I want my family continuing here when there is such a health risk. We are determined to fight it," he vowed.