Up to 5,000 set to march against wind turbines and pylons

Buses were hired and cars filled with petrol and diesel this morning as between 3,000 and 5,000 protesters take part in a mass protest in Dublin over wind turbines and pylons.

The 11am march from Parnell Square to Leinster House, was organised by anti-wind and pylon groups in Westmeath, Laois, and Offaly.

Groups opposed to the building of electrical substations as part of the Grid25 project are also involved and as many as 200 communities groups are expected to participate.

It comes in spite of Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte’s announcement that a wind energy export deal to Britain is off the table in the medium term.

Mr Rabbitte told RTÉ radio that a breakdown in talks with the British government meant “the end of the project as relates to the midlands”.

Among those speaking at today’s march are David Reid, chair of the Westmeath Alliance; Henry Fingleton, chair of the Wind Aware group; and Robert Duggan who heads the Pylons Alternative Alliance.

“All the communities are following up today on the 35,000 submissions made to EirGrid as part of its public consultation process in January,” Mr Duggan said.

“Our flawed energy plan is dominated by developer-led wind projects. Rural families fear their home and health are under attack without their participation or consent.

“We believe these subsidised energy projects will leave a physical and financial scar on future generations to match the banking scar of this generation.”

Yesterday, Wind Aware Ireland — a new lobby group made up of those opposed to the midlands project and to Gridlink 25’s plans to upgrade the electricity transmission network — said it was not reassured by Mr Rabbitte’s announcement.

“The minister’s recent announcement is not reassuring to Wind Aware Ireland given the fact that a strong ideological sentiment exists within government for wind energy with a limited evidence base as to its efficacy. Wind Aware Ireland believe real and meaningful solutions must be found,” Mr Fingleton said.

Meanwhile, Element Power, one of the companies seeking to develop the midlands project, is bullish about prospects for a post-2020 energy export project.

“A deal makes sense for both countries and we will continue to devote all our efforts in helping both governments to find a way through the policy difficulties,” a spokesman said.

“Britain is in the process of concluding a review of its own internal energy market. The minister has indicated that this process needs to conclude in the first instance. We agree with this position.”

The Irish Wind Energy Association said it remains focused on “the over 180 confirmed [smaller wind] projects already in the pipeline”, which will help Ireland meet its own 2020 emissions targets.