January 23, 2019
Ireland

We won’t be blown away: No to Derryadd Windfarm group vow to fight controversial Bord na Móna plan

By Liam Cosgrove | Longford Leader | 23 Jan 2019 | www.longfordleader.ie

Controversial plans to develop a major wind farm in south Longford will be challenged until every conceivable avenue of opposition has been exhausted, protestors have warned.

Members from the ‘No to Derryadd Wind Farm’ group issued the sobering warning this week, a matter of hours after Bord na Móna confirmed its intention to lodge plans for a 24-strong wind turbine development with An Bord Pleanála by next Thursday (January 31).

As revealed on the Leader’s website longfordleader.ie on Monday, the semi state firm said it would be seeking a 10-year planning permission and 30-year operational life from the date of commissioning of the entire wind farm.

The firm insisted the development will support the company’s transitioning away from peat towards more environmentally friendly forms of energy.

Niall Dennigan, PRO with the group, said despite the imminent nature of the planned submission, little had changed.

“We are obviously disappointed to find out in the media of what they (Bord na Móna) plan on doing especially after three years of discussions we thought they might have come back to notify residents first,” he said.

Mr Dennigan stood firm in how the group intended to view the latest twist in the ongoing controversy, insisting further meetings and talks over the affair were already being considered.

“Absolutely not,” was his response to any suggestions the organisation were planning to take the Bord na Móna proposals lying down. “This will have a major, major impact on tourism if it goes ahead and once that happens the economy starts to suffer and so to do jobs.”

He also said many questions still remained, one of which centred on the positioning and overall height of the mooted 185 metre high turbines.

Mr Dennigan was not alone in his criticism of Bord na Móna’s announcement on Monday with local Fine Gael Cllr Micheal Carrigy describing its timing as “disingenuous” and uncalled for.

“To do it (the announcement) in the way they did is out of order especially with the way it seems they are trying to circumvent the new (planning) guidelines which I hoped would not be the case,” he said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/01/23/we-wont-be-blown-away-no-to-derryadd-windfarm-group-vow-to-fight-controversial-bord-na-mona-plan/