Kieran Hartley of Comeraghs Against Pylons has questioned why it was revealed that Eirgrid will offer compensation to families in the vicinity of pylons so soon after it was announced that an independent assessment will take place.
Last week it was announced that depending on their proximity EirGrid will offer compensation of between €30,000 and €5,000 to families living within 50m to 200m of pylons.
The announcement came soon after it was revealed by Minister Pat Rabbitte that an independent comparative assessment on undergrounding and over grounding options for the Grid Link Project would take place.
Speaking to the Waterford News & Star Mr Hartley said he believed the independent investigation comparing underground and overground feasibility options was a cynical ploy to appease Fine Gael and Labour candidates ahead of the Local and European elections. “Why did they feel the need to put in a sweetener? If it was really an honest independent assessment why announce all of this compensation the same day?”
A number of Waterford Fine Gael and Labour representatives have said they are pleased that public concerns are being listened to and undergrounding is being considered as an option.
However, Mr Hartley described the compensation announcement as “arrogant”. He claimed Comeraghs Against Pylons had read 12,000 submissions and the main concern of campaigners was about the health of their children and had had nothing to do with compensation. He added: “What is the €30,000 for?
Mr Hartley also said he had doubts about the analysis: “Eirgrid do not legally have to take on board any of the recommendations,” he said. “It’s not independent, it’s merely a sticking plaster.”
Sinn Féin local election candidate Louise Brierley said the Taoiseach and Minister Pat Rabbitte “were dismissive and flippant” in their approach to the pylons issue and the review was timed to coincide with the upcoming Local and European elections.
Fianna Fáil Waterford Cllr Michael J O’Ryan also described it as a “political stunt”. He said he believed community groups and residents “would see through the stunt and called for an international independent assessment of the EirGrid propsals. “There is no doubting the independence of the panel selected but it defeats the purpose of appointing the panel if Eirgrid themselves are preparing the report?”
Fine Gael TD Paudie Coffey described the move as “positive”. He said, in his submission to Eirgrid, he asked for “full transparency and clarity” in relation to the overhead options versus the underground options. ”This is something that was called for at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications and Transport when community groups came before it to give evidence at my request,” he said. “This news is very welcome.”
MEP for Ireland South, Phil Prendergast said the independent investigation shows that people are being listened to, and the voices of 35,000 businesses and individuals who made submissions is being heard.
Labour TD Ciara Conway said the move to set up an expert panel “shows that the Government is listening to the public’s concerns and acting on it”.
Waterford Chamber chief executive Nick Donnelly has welcomed the announcement by Minister Rabbitte. “These projects are of vital importance for Ireland in terms of securing future economic development, job creation and delivering electricity at a price that is cost competitive for both business and residential consumers,” he said. “Progress on these reports would be welcome and we hope that the panel’s deliberations will identify the best means possible to deliver this network upgrade.”
