Letters to the Editor: Eirgrid and high-voltage power lines

(Editor, Meath Chronicle)

Dear Sir - Some of your readers may have missed a recent national newspaper article on a ‘Powering Tomorrow’ poll conducted by Red C for KPMG. The poll indicated strong acceptance for projects such as wind or solar farms. However, only 34 per cent of respondents said they would accept high-voltage power lines. This rather gives a lie to Eirgrid’s arguments that property values will not be severely impacted by those with properties close to the proposed North South interconnector project.

Why would 66 per cent of Red C’s respondents not accept high-voltage power lines? It seems unlikely that the paltry scale of compensation offered to landowners and others by Eirgrid is a significant reason as most of the survey respondents would never be in a position to be in line for compensation. The infrastructure is of course unsightly and I think ‘Sea View’ will remain a more popular name for houses than ‘Pylon View’. In all probability, their and my main concern remains impact on health – physical and mental.

Eirgrid issued a threatening letter to landowners which stated in bold type:

‘forty years of research has found no hazardous effects from long-term exposure to low levels of EMFs’.

Let us be clear. Eirgrid is not claiming that it is safe, merely that unknown amounts of research possibly carried out or sponsored by those with a vested interest has as yet not found a statistically significant negative impact on health. This was precisely the argument used for decades by the largest manufacturer of asbestos. Large amounts of money were spent by asbestos manufacturers undermining health concerns and incidences. So successful were they that sheets containing asbestos were routinely used in the drinks industry for filtering drinks up to the late 1970s. In future, we may find that high-voltage power lines are every bit as harmful. Eirgrid certainly cannot refute it. How much has Eirgrid’s board set aside to settle future claims for health damage or have the directors fudged the issue leaving accountability to future governments? Of course, I recognise that, having almost reached my allotted three score years and ten, I may be considered by Eirgrid to be acceptable collateral damage. Sure, wasn’t he going to go anyway?

Eirgrid’s legacy on this project will include a wonderful case study on how to mismanage critical stakeholders. On a recent visit by their representatives, I asked how many guards and soldiers they have budgeted for in the project construction. They said they did not have either which means another cost of the project will fall back on us taxpayers.

Yours,

Dr Ed Delany,

Woodtown,

Drumree.

Dear sir - Thank you so much for the obituary of the late Jim Marsden in the Meath Chronicle of 3rd February last. There is just one more important item I would like to add to his obituary that, I think, really deserves a mention.

You state that, as Director of Adult education in Meath VEC, his organisational skills and commitment led to the development of a comprehensive adult learning infrastructure throughout County Meath and I would also point out that his supportive and imaginative approach to this role led to profound change for many women.

In 1983, I met with him to ask about adult education for women in Meath. Two weeks later he phoned me. He told me there was a Scottish Women’s Adult Education group coming to Kildare to deliver a workshop on women’s education. I had no way of getting there so he actually drove me there and back. Following this, he had the foresight to agree to giving women in Navan a room, heat and light, for free, to meet every Monday. It was called the Meath Women’s Forum and it had only one raison d’être: To provide an opportunity for women to get together. First we met and chatted, combatting isolation and finding some comfort. Having the room allowed us to identify our own needs and interests and, when possible, find ways of meeting those needs.

As the needs and size of the Forum grew, Jim continued to support us. With over 30 women meeting every week, Jim then agreed to give us two rooms, at no cost. We provided childcare for each other and eventually held classes and discussion groups, meeting four days a week and keeping Mondays for socialising.

Out of Jim’s broad vision of community education and as an unwavering ally, we eventually were able to set up Meath Women’s Refuge. Now, 40 years later, the refuge continues to support many women and children to bravely step up and challenge oppression and violence in the home and emerge as women leaders.

If it wasn’t for Jim, this may never have happened. Thank you Jim.

Yours,

Berny McMahon.