5 July 2001 Edition
Donegal pylon campaigners win case
An Bord Pleanála has given anti-pylon campaigners in Donegal a great boost by deciding to refuse the ESB planning permission for a 110kv power line that would have been a blight on the face of the county and a potential health hazard. The proposed route, overland from Letterkenny to Binbane near Ardara via Creeslough and Gortahork, takes in some of the finest scenery in Ireland.
The board this week overturned a May 2000 decision by Donegal County Council to grant planning permission to the ESB, a move that galvanised local communities into effective action and left Fianna Fáil seriously out of step with local feeling.
In making its decision, the planning board pointed out that the route of the proposed lines ran around the west and north-west of the county on a long course extending over approximately 100 kilometres, crossing many areas of scenic value, including areas designated as highly scenic and areas with existing or proposed national heritage designations, deemed to be of national importance. The board fel the development would impact negatively on the ecology and tourist potential of the area and would contravene the County Donegal Development Plan.
The local Alternatives to Poles and Pylons (ATP) group had fought a strong campaign in the months leading up to this decision. Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams, a regular visitor to the area, had raised the issue of the pylons in meetings with Eamonn Ó Cuiv and Bertie Ahern. He welcomed the decision of An Bord Pleanála, describing it as ``a victory for the local community in defending their health and safety rights and in protecting the local environment and tourist potential of West Donegal.
``This decision by An Bord Pleanála is a victory for the people of West Donegal. The group Alternatives to Pylons are to be commended for their vigorous campaign against the pylons. They played a crucial roll in defending the health and safety rights of local people as well as protecting the tourist potential of West Donegal. It should be remembered that they did this at a time when some local and national politicians worked hand in hand to have these eyesores dotted across the Donegal landscape.
Adams questioned why ``this flawed policy pursued when even the ESB admitted that the existing infrastructure could easily cope with supply demands now and in to the foreseeable future''.
The group also had the support of the Greens and Independent TD Tom Gildea.
Sinn Féin had supported ATP's proposal that if the powerline had to be laid, it should be buried on the line of the old railway, which would create more employment through construction, deal with the environmental concerns and develop the old railway into a tourism walkway/cyclepath. Local representative Pearse Doherty welcomed the decision as ``a victory for people power''.
The board this week overturned a May 2000 decision by Donegal County Council to grant planning permission to the ESB, a move that galvanised local communities into effective action and left Fianna Fáil seriously out of step with local feeling.
In making its decision, the planning board pointed out that the route of the proposed lines ran around the west and north-west of the county on a long course extending over approximately 100 kilometres, crossing many areas of scenic value, including areas designated as highly scenic and areas with existing or proposed national heritage designations, deemed to be of national importance. The board fel the development would impact negatively on the ecology and tourist potential of the area and would contravene the County Donegal Development Plan.
The local Alternatives to Poles and Pylons (ATP) group had fought a strong campaign in the months leading up to this decision. Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams, a regular visitor to the area, had raised the issue of the pylons in meetings with Eamonn Ó Cuiv and Bertie Ahern. He welcomed the decision of An Bord Pleanála, describing it as ``a victory for the local community in defending their health and safety rights and in protecting the local environment and tourist potential of West Donegal.
``This decision by An Bord Pleanála is a victory for the people of West Donegal. The group Alternatives to Pylons are to be commended for their vigorous campaign against the pylons. They played a crucial roll in defending the health and safety rights of local people as well as protecting the tourist potential of West Donegal. It should be remembered that they did this at a time when some local and national politicians worked hand in hand to have these eyesores dotted across the Donegal landscape.
Adams questioned why ``this flawed policy pursued when even the ESB admitted that the existing infrastructure could easily cope with supply demands now and in to the foreseeable future''.
The group also had the support of the Greens and Independent TD Tom Gildea.
Sinn Féin had supported ATP's proposal that if the powerline had to be laid, it should be buried on the line of the old railway, which would create more employment through construction, deal with the environmental concerns and develop the old railway into a tourism walkway/cyclepath. Local representative Pearse Doherty welcomed the decision as ``a victory for people power''.