'We have suffered cancer after cancer because of high voltage power lines'
ANN CASEY
A MEATH couple believe that the cancers they have been diagnosed with were brought on by living beneath a high-power voltage power line for over three decades.
Paula and Mike Sheridan have said there is no health monitoring for people living close to pylons, but there will be for Whooper swans.
The Sheridans gave a powerful and moving submission to the An Bord Pleanála oral hearing last March, where they claimed to have developed cancers from the atmosphere they were living in.
At that time, Paula had experienced one primary cancer, while Mike had two. At last week’s meeting the couple revealed that Mike had since been diagnosed with a third primary cancer.
They said they moved from their home after they were both diagnosed with cancer, which they blame on living beneath a 400kV line close to the Woodland sub-station, outside Batterstown.
Mr and Mrs Sheridan used to live at Curraghtown, Drumree, in a house that is 35 metres from a 400kV high voltage line from Moneypoint power station in Co Clare, running directly above their back garden, towards a sub-station nearby at Woodland.
“We have suffered cancer after cancer because of high voltage power lines but the Environment Impact Statement says we have no right to object to this proposal because they are saying what we will be getting is an upgrade,” said Paula Sheridan.
“Eirgrid and the ESB say that our cancers have nothing to do with our exposure to power lines.
“But we’ve never been monitored so how can they say there are not health risks if there is no monitoring.
“They are however putting in monitoring for Whooper swans.”
“None of the people living along the path of the pylons will be monitored. There is a business with 120 people working in it along the line and and no concern is shown for them.
“The closer you are to wires, the more dangerous it is,” she contended.
Mrs Sheridan said the medical and scientific advice available to them at the time confirmed that both their life-threatening illnesses were probably related to their exposure in their home to an electromagnetic field around the power lines. The Sheridans attended the public meeting in Kells last Thursday.