Think of our children and land, Minister Ryan

Dear Sir - 'I will stand up for our party, I will stand up for our values, and I will do it for our children'. When Energy Minister Eamon Ryan made this statement last week he was not thinking of, or including, the children of the north-east. For two years now, our communities in the north-east have asked Minister Ryan to rethink the way in which he plans to bring his much trumpeted renewable energy across the country. Today Minister Ryan plans to transport this 'green energy" in a way that has every parent in the north-east fearful for their children"s health. His vision is to build giant pylons across Ireland carrying 400,000-volt lines emitting high levels of EMF, from east to west and from north to south to criss-cross the country. The effect of EMF on the health of young children is well documented and Minister Ryan should be, at the very least, applying the precautionary principle if he cared about our children. The evidence reporting a relation between EMF exposure and childhood leukaemia is neither weak or inconsistent, according to the most recent scientific consensus. Not only is he planning to destroying our environment he is also intent on destroying our children"s hope for a safer future. His 'non-green" vision would have a serious effect on our heritage, our environment, our tourist industry and our health, especially that of our children"s, if he is not stopped now. When building a 'green" grid, it should be green all the way. There is a safer, greener way to implement his plan and that is to place these lines underground. This hypocrisy is one of the reasons why his Green Party performed so badly in the recent elections. Yours Bernie Andrew, Boyerstown, Navan.