Campaigners urge ESB boycott after woman jailed

Households should boycott the ESB over the treatment of a pensioner jailed for not letting the electricity company cut down her trees, campaigners said.

Teresa Treacy was sent to Mountjoy’s women’s prison more than two weeks ago for contempt of court after she broke an order ruling ESB and Eirgrid could erect pylons on her land.

The 65-year-old had painstakingly planted thousands of trees on her 150-acre site at Clonmore, three miles east of Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Supporters from all over the country have joined Ms Treacy’s friends and neighbours to block contractors felling 12,000 of her trees as she languishes in jail.

The Teresa Treacy Support Group called on the public to boycott the ESB unless the work is stopped and the company returns to the High Court to apply for the pensioner’s release.

Spokesman Cormac Lally said: “We are asking people who feel strongly about this to boycott the ESB either by refusing to pay their bills or by switching their service providers.

“It’s not until you hit someone in the pocket that they sit and listen.”

Contractors were forced to stop on-site work on Tuesday after a stand-off between the ESB crew and supporters.

Campaigners are also planting more than 200 saplings – mostly donated from local garden centres – on Ms Treacy’s land in solidarity with her plight.

Mr Lally, who has never met his neighbour, said supporters have vowed to continue protesting until Ms Treacy is released.

“We are willing to do whatever it takes to try and get some kind of justice for this woman,” he said.

“She went to court expecting justice, but instead she went to jail for insisting the ESB put in underground power lines, which is in accordance with European standards of best practice.”

ESB and Eirgrid – who have had planning permission for the project since 2007 - said the power line from Cushaling to Thornsbury is 95% complete.

A spokesman said the firms were doing their best to resolve the situation with Ms Treacy’s family.

“This line is a critical electricity infrastructure project to ensure a safe, secure and reliable electricity system for the Midlands region,” he added.