Protesters gather in Dublin to protest Eirgrid interconnector

Almost 150 protestors have gathered in Rush in north county Dublin to voice their opposition to Eirgrid's interconnector between Ireland and the UK.

The high voltage line electricity line, which has been granted permission by An Bord Pleanala, will come ashore at Rush and run underground along the road network to Co Meath.

Protestors, however, have said it poses severe health risks for people living in the area and could be re-routed away from houses and villages.

The company has sought injunctions against five members of Rush Community Council to stop them protesting, one of them is Clodagh Kelly.

She said the electricity cables are just too dangerous.

"There are links to childhood leukemia, miscarriage, Alzheimer's and all sorts of behavioral disorders are linked to the emissions from cables like that especially with that power and magnitude," she said.

"There is also a safety issue because of the mega-wattage power of these cables through a residential area.

"In some cases these (cables) are only two, three or four feet away from houses."

Meanwhile, EirGrid Project Director John Fitzgerald issued a statement today insisting that full planning permission was granted for the Interconnector by An Bord Pleanála in September 2009.

“Over the past three years we have endeavoured, in good faith, to deal with all of the questions and concerns put to us by residents, local elected representatives and by Rush Community Council," he said.

“At the request of Rush Community Council, Minister Ryan commissioned an independent report by an expert on the health impact of electromagnetic fields. This report, published by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, confirmed what EirGrid have said to date, there is no health risk in relation to the East West Interconnector.

“The people of Rush have nothing to fear from the interconnector. We would not be developing the interconnector, or using this technology, if there was a risk to a single person living anywhere along the route. This is proven technology which has been used in many other countries in similar residential areas.”