April 15, 2015
Ireland

Thousands gather in Dublin to protest against wind energy infrastructure

15 Apr 2014, Richard Chambers, newstalk.com

Thousands of people are gathering in central Dublin for a major rally against pylons and wind turbines.

Organisers say over 200 community groups from across the Midlands and West are involved in today’s march from Parnell Square to the Dáil.

They say Minister Pat Rabbitte’s announcement that plans for a wind export deal to the UK were being scrapped is a political ploy.

These demonstrators say several other energy projects are still going ahead – they say it’s devastating their communities:

The plan would have seen the construction of more than 2,000 wind turbines across the midlands.

Though it has now been scrapped, Minister Rabbitte has refused to rule out wind turbines in the future, “Ireland has to make its contribution, in terms of combating climate change. We have mandatory targets that we have to meet and will meet, and believe we will comfortably meet…there has to be a balance and a trade-off.”

One of the organisers of today’s march, Henry Fingleton from Wind Aware Ireland says despite this they don’t think the plans will be scrapped forever:

Independent TD Luke Ming Flanagan, who is running in the European elections for the Midlands/North-West constituency, told Newstalk’s Breakfast show about community concerns:


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/04/15/thousands-gather-in-dublin-to-protest-against-wind-energy-infrastructure/