News from down the country

national | environment | news report Friday August 21, 2009 16:31 by Contaminated Crow

Four masts, a windfarm, a climate camp, an airport, a piggery, powerlines, a helipad, turfcutting and prospecting for oil off Kerry

After last week’s protest and sabotage of the foundations of a planned Threefold telemast in Annascaul, Co. Kerry, the company has agreed to meet local residents and no work will take place on the mast prior to the meeting. (Kerryman (sic) 19/8/09, p. 25).

At a second public meeting last week called by the local anti-mast committee, local residents were vocal in their opposition to plans by 3mobile to erect an 80ft mast in Furnace, Partry, Co. Mayo. (Connaught Telegraph 18/8/09, p. 3a; Mayo News 18/8/09, p. 11; Western People 18/8/09, p. 6).

Residents of Granard, Co. Longford were to hold a public meeting on Wednesday 19th August in the local community centre to discuss a telemast proposal by Tetra Ireland. Resident Pat Sheridan said ‘We are going to fight this tooth and nail’. (Longford Leader 21/8/09, p. 5).

The Eagle Hill Mast Committee has welcomed news that Waterford County Council has advised H3G that they are required to significantly reduce the height of their proposed telemast at Ballinamult, Co. Waterford. (Dungarvan leader 21/8/09, p. 8).

Leitrim County Council has granted permission for a windfarm at Killea, at the summit of Dough Mountain, Manorhamilton, despite concerns raised by Cavan Leitrim Environmental Awareness Agency (CLEAN) and the Irish Peatland Conservation Council. (Leitrim Observer 21/8/09, p. 3A).

Gardai were reported to be ‘keeping watch’ over peaceful eco-activists at a climate camp in Shannonbridge, Co. Offaly, which had been set up last weekend by about 60 activists. (Midland Tribune 20/8/09, p. 1).

The Dorrins-Cummeen Conservation Group intends appealing to An Bord Pleanala against Sligo County Council’s granting of permission to Sligo Airport to extend its runway onto a public beach. (Sligo Champion 19/8/09, p. 17).

Up to 500 people attended North-East Pylon Pressure ‘s meeting in Navan last Monday, at which the IFA reiterated it was ‘110% in support of the NEPP’s campaign’. (Meath Chronicle 22/8/09, p. 9; Anglo-Celt 20/8/09, p. 3).

In a submission to the Inter-Departmental Committee on Cessation of Turf-cutting on Certain Bogs, the IFA has called for continuation of domestic turf-cutting on these bogs as there is no evidence that domestic turf-cutting harms bogs. (Anglo-Celt 20/8/09, p. 10; Clare Champion 21/8/09, p. 9; Longford Leader 21/8/09, p. 12).

Local residents organised a meeting last Thursday to express concern over an application for planning permission for a 7,000-unit piggery T Dalystown, Castlerickard, Longwood, Co. Meath. (Meath Chronicle 22/8/09, p. 3).

Having been refused planning permission for a helipad at Clonlara, Co. Clare four times, Peter Stritch intends to apply once again. (Limerick Leader 22/8/09, pp. 1,2).

Stakeholders in the Dunquin oil and gas prospecting licence off the Kerry coast –which include ExxonMobil, Eni, Sosina Explorations and Providence Resources- have formally notified the Department of Energy of their plans to sink a well, which may occur before the end of the year. (Kerryman (sic) 19/8/09, p. 10).