Fianna Fáil cllrs pile on pressure over Interconnector

Members have written letter to Taoiseach urging a halt to the project

Meath's Fianna Fáil councillors have written to the Taoiseach calling for an immediate halt to the North South Interconnector project until a technical feasibility and costing study of the undergrounding of the project is carried out.

All 12 of the Meath councillors have signed the letter in which they give their support to the North East Pylon Pressure Group and express their concerns about the proposed pylon project which cuts right through the heart of the communities they represent.

They were writing in advance of a parliamentary party meeting due to take place in the coming weeks in which a petition from the councillors from the three county councils impacted by the project will be presented to the party.

The letter is signed by Cllrs Tom Behan, Mike Bray, Aisling Dempsey, Seán Drew, Padraig Fitzsimons, Wayne Harding, Paul McCabe, Stephen McKee, Damien O’Reilly, Tommy Reilly, Deirdre Geraghty-Smith and Conor Tormey.

"Our position, as you know, is for the project to be undergrounded," the letter reads.

“In 2017 Fianna Fáil tabled a motion which was passed in the Dáil calling for an independent assessment of the project to be carried out. This motion stated that an examination of technical feasibility and cost of the undergrounding of the project be carried out and for no further works to take place until this analysis is completed.

“The Meath Fianna Fáil councillors, collectively and individually, sought through the negotiation team and our local Oireachtas members for the independent assessment of the North-South Interconnector project to be included in the Programme for Government. It was to our great disappointment that it was not included.

“As you may be aware the NEPP has sought that this matter is brought before a Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party meeting in the coming weeks and a petition will be presented from the county councillors in the three impacted counties to the Parliamentary Party.

“We are writing to you in advance of this to again outline our position and the importance of this matter to the local communities in Meath.

“We are requesting again that the independent assessment be sanctioned by Government and that all works cease during this process as per the 2017 Fianna Fáil motion.”