September 29, 2013
Ireland

We can’t sell our house now, we need proper consultation

The Irish Mail on Sunday | 29 September 2013 |

The Twiss family live at the foot of the Ironmills Hills, near the picturesque village of Ballinakill in Co. Laois. Surrounded by nature, their home has large windows to take advantage of sweeping views across six counties.

However, those windows could soon be offering a view of eight massive turbines measuring 150m each as part of a plan proposed by Galetech Energy Developments.

‘I am a very ordinary woman. I am not against wind farms. I am against this happening without any real consultation, the Government is letting this happen to us,’ Avril Twiss said. ‘They should be regulated.

‘I live in the countryside, a peaceful, beautiful area. We couldn’t sell our house now, there’s a question mark hanging over it.’

Her husband Robert suffers from migraines but Avril said the company has not disclosed how the shadow-flicker from the turbine’s blades could affect him.

‘My family is very upset,’ said Avril. ‘My children are 13 and 14 now, they are old enough to understand. My son was looking at videos on YouTube of things that can go wrong – he saw one on fire.’

When the Twiss family were building their own home, they were instructed to lower the roof so as not to intrude on the skyline – a concern that does not seem to apply to the 152m wind turbines.

Avril, pictured, and 113 others have submitted planning objections to the wind farm to Laois County Council. It is being built by Galetech Energy Developments. Project manager Catherine Keogan said: ‘We have had somebody down talking to people, calling around. This project is still at planning. There are things which the county council has to comment on. We can’t put the information out there.’ A decision on the windfarm is due on Thursday.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/09/29/we-cant-sell-our-house-now-we-need-proper-consultation/