Community wins a victory over tubines
Leinster Express | 15 January 2014 | www.leinsterexpress.ie
The decision by An Bord Pleanála to overturn planning permission for a proposed wind farm in Cloghan is a victory for community campaigners who have worked tirelessly to voice concerns and opposition to the project.
The fact that the board cited impact on the visual landscape of the area vindicates what campaigners have been saying all along about the impact that such projects could have on tourism and on the environment.
Sinn Féin is calling on the government to introduce a moratorium on the construction of wind farms pending the framing of a full range of regulations. We are also calling for a National Wind Energy Strategy which would include planning regulations with regard to wind farms, the public consultation process that must be carried out prior to the erection of wind turbines, the sale of the energy from wind turbines and the taxation levels on wind energy.
We want to see alternative energy sources utilised but only in conjunction with local communities that will be affected by the supporting infrastructure developments. Furthermore the energy resources of Ireland must be used for the benefit of the Irish people and not simply developed for the private profit of multi-national investors.
Matt Carthy
SF candidate for the Midlands North West EU consitutency
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/01/15/community-wins-a-victory-over-tubines/