Let’s take the wind out of turbines propaganda

AS the wind turbine propaganda machine blows into our area with potentially devastating effects on our vibrant rural community, isn’t it time county planners realised that such high-scale energy wind turbine farms are far more suited to isolated mountainous areas? Better still, they are proven to be more effective out at sea, and not on top of a community.

Newcestown GAA club in west Cork must be commended in these recessionary times for rejecting an offer of e125,000 over five years from the company planning to build up to 14 wind turbines in the Newcestown and Castletown area (Irish Examiner, March 4). According to a director of the company, this proposed deal was “to put something back into the community”.

That is ironic as they will in fact be taking away our tranquil living conditions, damaging the local landscape and creating noise and other pollution.

If wind turbines are so good for communities, then where are the positive reports and feedback from other areas around the country that have been blighted by them? The fact is they have nothing positive to say about them. Let’s hope the county planners take this into consideration when they consider the plans.

Let’s nip this in the bud once and for all. For some communities it is too late. For us, we still have time. The only weapon available to us is the pen, so objections to the proposal need to be written to the county council planning department before March 23.

Fourteen turbines now. Who knows how many more across our community in the future?

Kieran O’Mahony

Newcestown

Bandon

Co Cork