Copyright 2003 The Irish Times
The Irish Times
November 15, 2003
SECTION: CITY EDITION; HOME NEWS; Pg. 9

LENGTH: 539 words

HEADLINE: Galway slide to affect future windfarms

BYLINE: By LORNA SIGGINS

BODY:
Local authorities will take the Derrybrien landslide in Galway into account
when considering planning applications for windfarms, a Government minister
has said.

The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern,
said that the Derrybrien landslide in south Galway is a planning issue, and
one for the local authority to handle. However, local authorities may take
the Derrybrien "and other" experiences into account when handling planning
applications for wind energy projects, he said. The Minister made his
comments while attending a wind energy conference in Sligo yesterday.

Galway County Council has confirmed that it is investigating a "minor" land
slip at a wind energy project in Kilchreest, Co Galway, which took place
several weeks ago. There was no injury or damage to people or property, the
council has said. The Green Party and local residents in the south Galway
area have called for an independent investigation into the Derrybrien
landslide on October 16th, which took place during construction work on the
E60 million windfarm for the ESB subsidiary, Hibernian Wind Power in the
Slieve Aughty mountains.

A spokesman for the Minister emphasised that no definite cause had, as yet,
been established for the landslide. However, Galway County Council said
yesterday that it would not permit any resumption of work on site by
Hibernian Wind Power until it was satisfied that the area was safe. It
expects to receive an assessment report from its own consultants on November
25th.

Hibernian Wind Power also confirmed that no work would resume until all
investigations had been completed.

The local authority has approved this week's reopening of the Gort-Portumna
road, which has been closed for several weeks. Four dams have been built,
and construction of drainage channels and remedial works is continuing, Mr
Donal O'Donoghue, Galway county manager, said.

A survey presented yesterday to the Minister at the wind energy conference,
which was hosted by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), states that over 80
per cent of people are favourably disposed towards the construction of more
windfarms in Ireland, while over two-thirds are willing to have a windfarm
built in their locality.

The SEI survey was carried out before the Derrybrien landslide - which local
residents have attributed to work on the ESB wind farm. The study found that
half of Irish adults surveyed were aware of the term "renewable energy",
with wind energy easily the best-known type of renewable energy. However, it
found that although renewable energy sources, including wind energy, are
well known, awareness of their contribution to the total fuel supply in
Ireland remains low.

It also found that support for renewable energy was higher in areas where
windfarms are planned or operational, and it found that those with direct
experience of windfarms in their locality do not, in general, consider that
they have had any adverse impact on the scenic beauty and wildlife of the
area, or on tourism.

Less than three per cent of residents made formal objections to existing
windfarms at the time that planning permission was applied for. There are 29
operational windfarms currently in Ireland.

LOAD-DATE: November 15, 2003