Sir, - I live in a small community in the Slieve Aughty mountains in east Galway, a highly scenic area, where planning permission has recently been granted for 69 wind turbines on three sites close to each other. This is the largest development in the country to date.
The large number of turbines is a cause for grave concern. Despite objections to Galway County Council, permission was granted very quickly, leaving no time for an independent assessment. No restrictions on noise were included in the permission for two of these sites. The erection of windfarms, many in areas designated as high scenic amenity in county development plans, is now Government policy, with 1,000 to be erected by the year 2005. This will put our landscape and our national heritage under severe threat. I feel there needs to be an urgent debate on this issue. - Yours, etc.,
Berna Morgan Murphy
Derrybrien, Loughrea, Co Galway.