ESB threaten court action against landowners resisting power line

ESB Networks is threatening to seek a High Court injunction against landowners in west Cork who are resisting the erection of a power line to a planned windfarm.

Twelve members of Bantry Concerned Residents’ Action Group were each served with a plenary summons directing them to enter an appearance this week before the central office of the Four Courts.

The legal move by the ESB followed a decision by Ballybane Windfarms Ltd to withdraw an improved offer of compensation to upwards of 40 landowners in a continuing dispute that locals insist is based solely on health concerns about the proposed 38Kv overhead line.

Members of the action group unanimously decided at the weekend to challenge the ESB move.

The defendants have engaged Bandon-based solicitor Greg Casey, who was the legal adviser to the five Co Mayo men that defied a High Court order in the Rossport Five case.

Independent MEP Kathy Sinnott has also rowed in behind the Bantry landowners and has offered to raise the issue in the European Parliament.

Joe Burke, who heads the action group, said yesterday: “Time and time again, we have repeated that this is not about money and is about the health risks. Our demand from day one was that the power line, in its entirety, should be laid underground.”

ESB Networks emphasised that the company was obliged to honour a contract to erect the power line for the private developer.

Ballybane Windfarms, in an agreement with farm groups and members of the action committee, had offered to lay four of the 14 kilometres underground.

The power line is scheduled to run from Glantia Commons near Caheragh, Drimoleague via Colomane to a sub-station at Ballylickey, near Bantry.

In a recent letter to the landowners, the windfarm company advised that it was withdrawing from negotiations and had informed the ESB to go ahead with constructing the line under the 1927 Act.