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The Green
Party has called on the Minister for the Environment Dick Roche TD
to close up a loophole in the Planning and Development Regulations.
The call comes as residents block contractors working for Vilicom
the Office of Public Work’s (OPW) telecommunications consultants
from entering a site beside Shankill Garda Station in County Dublin.
The contractors are attempting to erect a new telecommunications
mast.
Under the 2001
Planning and Development Regulations a replacement mast with up to
twelve additional antennae may be erected without the need for
planning permission.
Local Green
Party TD for Dún Laoghaire Ciarán Cuffe
stated:
“The Planning
Regulations are riddled with loopholes in this area. The Regulations
allow for a mast to be replaced, and for up to twelve additional
antennae to be placed on it without public consultation.
“This is not
acceptable and I have tabled a question in the Dáil to the Minister
for the Environment asking him: “… whether he intends to revise
Class 31 of the 2001 Planning and Development Regulations to allow
for public consultation through a formal planning process if
additional telecommunications antennae are proposed to be placed on
a mast.”
“I have also
spoken with the Chief Executive Officer of Vilicom and asked him to
suspend the works. I am pleased that Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County
Council has also written to the OPW calling on them to cease all
works on the site.
Local Green
Party Councillor Tom Kivlehan
stated:
“There needs
to more consultation on this issue. There are three schools within
500 metres of this mast - St. Anne’s School, Scoil Mhuire/Rathsallagh
Primary School and Rathmichael School. There are also people living
right beside it in Dorney Court and The Grove.
“People
deserve to be consulted and asked for their views before a new mast
with extra antennae is put up.” |
CiaranCuffe.com