Pylon pressure group may run election candidate

The North-East Pylon Pressure Campaign (NEPP) said this week that it will consider running a campaign candidate in the general election should main political party positions remain as uncommitted as present on the issue of the EirGrid Meath-Tyrone 400kV interconnector. The main political parties have shown neither courage nor leadership on the issue of the interconnector, and the Green Party has been allowed ride roughshod over the democratic process. That was the view expressed at a meeting of NEPP in the Newgrange Hotel, Navan, on Monday night. NEPP said it will consider running a campaign-specific candidate, should main political party positions remain as uncommitted as currently is the case. The campaign group says that over 350 people, including politicians from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin attended the meeting which focused specifically on what the position of the main political parties is in relation to the NEPP recommendations that all high voltage overhead lines and pylons be placed underground, for the betterment of people's health, environment and the landscape of the region. Representatives from all of the political parties were requested to outline their position regarding EirGrid's plans. The Green Party refused to attend, according to NEPP, and the Labour Party declined the offer to be represented on the night. Noel Keelan, Sinn Feín, outlined his party's full support for the NEPP objective of undergrounding. Shane McEntee, Fine Gael, outlined his party position of looking for a freeze on all activities by EirGrid in the short term, followed by a full analysis of the project. Thomas Byrne, Fianna Fáil, outlined that party policy supports undergrounding, but the planning authorities deal with individual cases. In a lively debate involving a range of contributions from the audience, the overwhelming mood was one of dissatisfaction by the public in terms of political representation. There were numerous calls for NEPP itself to run a candidate in the election. NEPP summarised the requests to the elected representatives present in terms of actions required: • Fianna Fáil should, by way of ministerial intervention, request that EirGrid halt any further planning application until a thorough independent analysis is carried out on the merits of undergrounding; • Legislation should be enacted that addresses the issue of compensation of participants in oral hearing processes, where withdrawals by the applicants take place, resulting currently in complete lack of accountability and a waste of taxpayers monies. This should be made retrospective to the recent oral hearing withdrawal debacle by EirGrid; • Local TDs need to listen to the people on this project, and realise that it will become a key election issue. NEPP said the main parties are paying lip service to its campaign, and it will be publishing, prior to the election, the exact position of each political party, so that the public can clearly decide who best represents the people of the north-east on the issue. The campaign highlighted the importance of supporting its upcoming Great North-East Christmas Cycling Challenge event on Tuesday 28th December to raise funds and to show solidarity and support for ongoing campaign efforts.