Firms hope fresh proposals resolve power line row

EIRGRID and the ESB are hoping fresh proposals will resolve the stand-off with jailed Co Offaly woman Teresa Treacy.

Treacy, aged 65, of Woodfield House, Clonmore, Tullamore, was jailed on September 13 after repeatedly defying a court order letting workers remove trees and build a power line through her land.

Protesters have erected a number of tents and huts on Treacy’s land in the past week. They claim to have her permission to occupy the site.

The ESB and EirGrid have begun talks with Treacy’s family and are hopeful of a face-to-face meeting with her.

EirGrid regional manager Deborah Meghan said that, under the new proposal, the width of a normal corridor through the forest for such a project would be reduced from 60m to 30m. EirGrid would also re-route part of the line to a neighbouring farm in order to reduce tree-cutting on the site.

“Between those two elements, we are reducing the cutting by nearly 50% so, in terms of scale, we are cutting, I suppose, about 5% of the plantation,” Ms Meghan said.

She said there was a third element to the proposals, involving planting “a selection of natural low-growing Irish species — dogwood, blackthorn — that we could actually grow in the corridor that we have cut”.

The proposals have received a positive response from Treacy’s family, according to Ms Meghan.

“We would love an opportunity to go in and put this proposal to her directly and work with her because she’s the expert in this. She loves the trees, she knows about the environment and I think she could add huge benefit.”

Micheal Kelly, an EirGrid spokesman, expressed regret at the jailing of Treacy.

“We very much respect Teresa’s position and the dignity and the principle with which she has approached all of the issues,” he said. “We very much, both ESB and EirGrid, regret that this situation has been reached.”

Mr Kelly said that, in order to facilitate construction and maintenance, trees would still have had to be removed from the land, even it the cables been placed underground.

The IFA has criticised the “breakdown in communication” between ESB/EirGrid and Treacy. An IFA spokesman said: “There was a failure to recognise the particular circumstances of this landowner. The construction of power lines is flexible, unlike road or rail building, and it is essential that the needs of the landowners are understood.”