Pylon protesters putting Ireland’s recovery at risk, says top engineer

One of the country’s top engineers has warned anti-pylon campaigners that they are putting the country’s recovery at risk by objecting to the Gridlink project.

Engineers Ireland director general John Power said a “strong infrastructure was a foundation for economic prosperity”, and that he strongly backed the expertise of EirGrid, adding: “We second-guess these experts at our peril.”

Objectors to the Gridlink project are calling for the powerlines from Cork, Wexford, and Kildare to be buried underground so that pylons do not compromise the landscape, the value of land and houses, or pose a risk to health.