Interconnector must be undergrounded now
Aontú Councillor Sarah O’Reilly has said that it is vital that North South Interconnector must be undergrounded following its planning permission failure in the north.
She said: “Following the decision to quash planning permission for the Interconnector in the north, it is now clearer than ever that the project must proceed by underground cabling only. This has long been the core demand of campaigning communities.
“The longer the government continue with their plans to construct 409 pylons, the more obstacles and expense will accrue. Nobody wants these pylons - some of them up to 51m high, carrying 400,000V through Meath, Cavan, Monaghan, Armagh and Tyrone. Some of these pylons will be constructed at a minimum distance of just 13 metres from people’s houses.
“As regards tourism, agriculture and communities the current plan will cause huge damage to these counties as well as the health concerns and financial damage to property values. It has also transpired recently that the majority of landowners of the 584 Interconnector access routes will not be given proper advance notice of construction.
“Not only has planning permission been denied in the north – there has been lack of compliance with the planning conditions in the Infrastructure Agreement between Eirgrid and ESB, something which Minister Bruton has yet to answer to.
“Since this project was first proposed, the price of undergrounding has collapsed and the technology to facilitate it has improved massively. Minister Bruton has to do the right thing and proceed with the undergrounding of the Interconnector. It is the only viable solution.”