News from down the country

national | environment | news report Saturday April 18, 2009 22:48 by Contaminated Crow

A telemast, a quarry, an electricity substation, a technological campus, water extraction, electricity interconnector and timber processing

Local residents of the Oakview, Beechgrove and Annalore Street areas of Clones, Co. Monaghan are concerned that a number of new antennae were added to a controversial telemast –the responsibility of the OPW- which is at the back of the Garda Station last week. A local Sinn Fein councilor has called for council planners to investigate. (Northern Standard 16/4/09, p.33).

Local farmer John Joe Mahoney has accused Clare County Council of ignoring alleged illegal quarrying at a neighbouring property to his in Moymore, Ruan, Co. Clare. Mr. Mahoney, who believes a ‘hit and run’ operation is under way, with short burst of extraction carried out before the quarry is shut down for months, called the County Council on Monday: ‘When no-one came on Monday, I contacted them again on Tuesday and again they told me that someone would be out that day. When no-one came on Tuesday, I tried again on Wednesday…’. (Clare People 14/4/09, p. 4).

Seven local residents have appealed to An Bord Pleanala after Galway County Council granted permission to the ESB for a substation at the rear of Bridge Street, Athenry, Co. Galway, concerned it will have a detrimental effect on their health. (Connacht Tribune 17/4/09, p. 7).

An Taisce has appealed to An Bord Pleanala a decision by Meath County Council to grant permission for a research/educational/technological campus on the Carton estate outside Maynooth, which is being proposed by Glashrooneen Ltd. and NUI Maynooth. (Meath Chronicle 18/43/09, pp.1.10).

In a submission to the consultants on plans by Dublin City Council to extract water from the Shannon the ESB, which supports the proposal, warns that the project must not endanger the ESB’s dams or embankments between Lough Derg and Arnacrusha power station, while also calling for a full Environmental Impact Statement to be prepared. (Limerick Leader 18/4/09, p. 15).

The Mid-West Regional Authority, in a submission to RPS Consultants, has called for an in-depth assessment of plans to extract water from the Shannon to supply Dublin city which will examine not only current concerns but also look at the consequences of the scheme over a period of 50 to 100 years. (Clare Champion 17/4/09, p. 7).

A Meath County Councillor has accused EirGrid, which last week issued details of its preferred route for the north-south electricity interconnector, of a ‘deliberate attempt’ to deceive public representatives: ‘Only last week I, along with other councillors on the East Border Committee, met with EirGrid. At that meeting I asked if a route had been selected or, if not, what was the likely time-frame. The response was that no route had been selected and it would be some time before a decision is made. Yet, just a week later, they have announced their preferred route, with detailed maps and accompanying analysis of the route. This was not done in the space of a week and was a deliberate attempt to deceive councilors.’ (Meath Chronicle 18/4/09, p.1).

Timber processing firm Finsa Forest Products has pled guilty to six charges of air pollution between 26 April 2007 and 28 February 2008. (Clare People 14/4/09. p. 8).