News from down the country

national | environment | news report Friday October 16, 2009 16:25 by Contaminated Crow

Four telemasts, a wind farm, CCTV cameras, a gas power plant, a private airfield and turfcutting

Residents of Ramelton, Co. Donegal, who are facing a deadline of this Friday to come up with a suitable alternative site locally for a Tetra mast, say if they do not find a site they still will not accept Tetra’s current site, which they say is too close to two schools and a nursing home. (Donegal Democrat 15/10/09, p. 3a).

Clare County Council has granted permission for a controversial 30-metre telemast at St. Senan’s Rugby Club in Shannon, Co. Clare. (Clare Champion 16/10/09, p. 17).

In response to a request by Waterford County Council for more information on why a 36-metre telemast rather than a 10-metre mast needs to be erected at Eagle Hill, Ballinamult, Co. Waterford, H3G has submitted information identifying two claimed ‘coverage holes’ if only a 10-metre mast were erected. Local opponents dispute this and expressed their continued steadfast opposition to the proposal. (Dungarvan leader 16/10/09, p. 8).

A Leixlip Town Councillor, in response to local concerns over a Tetra mast at the town’s garda station, has called for a baseline study of radiation from masts in the Leixlip area. (Leinster Leader 15/10/09, p. 7).

Locals concerned over a proposed 35-turbine wind farm in Glenties, Co. Donegal, have called a meeting at Edeninfagh National School at 4PM on Saturday October 19th. (Donegal Democrat 15/10/09, p. 9a).

Concerns have been raised over permission granted by Kerry County Council to the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency for two CCTV cameras on the disused Renard Pier as an invasion of privacy and a symptom of over-policing of local waters. (Kerryman (sic) 14/10/09, p. 9).

Constant Energy Ltd. has announced plans for a gas-fired power plant near Bellacorrick, Co. Mayo. Plans by the company for a similar plant in Loughrea, Co. Galway are facing major objections locally. (Western People 13/10/09, p. 12).

Residents near a private airfield at Narraghmore, Co. Kildare, have called on the County Council to investigate their complaint that the airfield is breaching its permit, with one resident claiming that video evidence exists of 70 plane movements within a space of three hours (over double the daily limit of 30 flights), while others complain of noise pollution and a stench of aviation fuel. (Leinster Leader 15/10/09, p. 14).

Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, secretary of the Turf Cutters and Contractors’ Association, has accused Fianna Fail of selling out turfcutters in its recent agreement with the Green Party: “we have an agreed document to be signed off between the Green Party and Fianna Fail, which will as of January 1st criminalise people for attempting to heat their houses”. (Roscommon Herald 13/10/09, p. 3).