News from down the country

national | environment | news report Friday July 17, 2009 19:42 by Contaminated Crow

Three masts, a powerline, a landfill, a quarry and the turfcutting campaign intensifies

Residents concerned over the erection of a telemast at Ballintleave, Glenbeigh,
Co. Kerry, who protested at the site last Friday, hope to meet with Hutchinson 3G over the issue shortly. (Kerry’s Eye 16/7/09, p. 24).

Local residents, concerned at the erection of a 28-metre mast at the garda station in Inverin, Co. Galway, have called a public meeting at Tigh Chualain’s pub next Monday. (Connacht Tribune 17/7/09, p. 4).

Local residents have formed the Eaglehill Mast Committee to oppose an application by Hutchinson 3G to erect a 36-metre mast in Ballinamelt, Co. Waterford. 50 objections have been lodged to the mast plan to date. (Dungarvan Leader 17/7/09, pp. 1,8).

EirGrid hopes to apply for planning permission to An Bord Pleanala for its proposed 450 kV electricity interconnector by the end of August or early in September. (Anglo-Celt 16/7/09, p. 1).

The High Court has overturned An Bord Pleanala’s granting of planning permission to Greenstar Holdings for a 2 million tonne landfill in Usk, Co. Kildare in July 2008 in a judgement which, according to a statement from the Usk and District Residents’ Association, ‘found that the process by which the decision to grant planning permission (twice) by An Bord Pleanala was flawed from as early as 2001’. (Leinster Leader 16/7/09, p. 3; Wicklow People 15/7/09, p. 5).

Residents of Montpelier and O’Brien’s Bridge, Co. Limerick, have expressed concern at work underway at a disused sandpit recently purchased by O’Connell’s Quarries, which, according to local community group chairperson, Mick Murtagh, they fear is preparatory work for a batch concrete plant. (Limerick Leader 18/7/09, p. 10).

A petition signed by up to 1000 people last week in Mountbellew and Newcastle, Co. Galway, demanding that they be allowed continue cutting turf at bogs in Gunnode and Carnagopple, was sent to the Minister for the Environment. (Tuam Herald 16/7/09, p. 5).

Hundreds of residents attended meetings called by MEP Marian
Harkin in Curraghaboy and Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon, last Saturday to express concern over restrictions on turfcutting. (Roscommon Herald 14/7/09, p. 2). Some 60 residents attended a similar meeting organized by Ms. H
Harkin in Tuam, Co. Galway. (Tuam Herald 16/7/09, p. 8).

Around 100 people from Cavan, Derry, Fermanagh, Monaghan and Tyrone who attended a meeting in Swanlinbar, Co. Cavan, last Thursday to fight new restrictions on turfcutting have formed the The Irish Homesteaders Turf Cutting Association to give impetus to their campaign and elected a committee, whose chairperson is Pauric Murphy from Lisnakea. (Anglo-Celt 16/7/09, p. 3).