Wind turbines a blow to key tourism area

TOURISM is Ireland’s third largest industry and the Ring of Kerry is one of its crown jewels. This scenic area, already under pressure from the proliferation of one-off houses, is now threatened by the construction of wind farms.

A tourist travelling from Sneem to Kenmare will see an array of turbines on the crest of the hills around Kilgarvan. Clearly there was no consideration of the negative impact this wind farm would have on the Kenmare area’s dependence on tourism.

Whatever arguments may be made for wind-generated electricity, surely areas of outstanding scenic beauty such as the Ring of Kerry should be regarded as too environmentally sensitive and, from a tourism perspective, too economically important nationally to allow this kind of development.