Wind farm chief should engage with residents

I was pleased to see in your newspaper (Mar 19) that Tim Cowhig, CEO of Element Power, wants a proper national debate about wind farms in Ireland.

It was a pity that his company did not respond to invitations to attend meetings of over 300 people, which have occurred in Mullingar, where concerns with Element Power’s plans to erect hundreds of wind turbines in the Irish Midlands were discussed.

Perhaps Mr Cowhig would like to invite people who have concerns about wind farms to attend the Irish Wind Energy Association’s conference next week in Dublin, so the debate he seeks may begin.

However, he needs to know that most Irish families, who don’t benefit from the huge profits of the industry, will not be able to afford the conference’s €746 registration fee.

Mike de Jong

Strokestown

Co Roscommon