Communications Committee to meet anti-pylon community groups

19 November 2013

The following groups and individuals will present at the meeting tomorrow:

• Helena Fitzgerald - Save Our Heartland, Carlow
• John McCusker - Comeragh Action Pylon Group
• Peter Smith - Save County Tipperary Anti Pylon Group
• Owen Bannigan - Monaghan Anti-Pylon Committee
• Nigel Hillis - Monaghan Anti-Pylon Committee
• May Marron - Monaghan Anti-Pylon Committee
• Cian Moloney - Action D9, New Ross, Co. Wexford

Chairman of the Committee John O’Mahony TD says: “Capacity on the country’s electricity grid has remained largely unchanged over the past 20 years, a period that has seen considerable growth in the electricity demand being carried by the system. The Grid25 project seeks to provide the capacity for Ireland’s electricity needs in the coming decades, meeting the increased demand and facilitating greater use of renewable energy. However, the Committee is acutely aware of the fears and frustrations being felt in many parts of the country in light of the proposed upgrade and, particularly, the installation of new pylons and transmission lines. Tomorrow, the Committee will have an opportunity to engage with a cross section of community representatives on this contentious issue in a comprehensive and open manner. The meeting will inform a hearing in December with representatives from EirGrid, in which the key concerns by the community groups will be aired.\"

Separately, the Committee will also scrutinise priority EU legislative proposal COM(2012)721 for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the accessibility of public sector bodies' websites. The Committee will also scrutinise the following non-priority proposal:

• COM(2012)570 - relating to the Joint EU/Switzerland Air Transport Committee set up under the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport;
• COM(2012)688 and COM(2012)689- relating to Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement between the EU and Israel;
• COM(2013)307 - relating to the application of Regulation No 41 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on uniform provisions concerning the approval of motor cycles with regard to noise
• COM(2013)423 and COM(2013)424- relating to an agreement between the EU and Peru on certain aspects of air services
• COM(2013)603 - Proposal for a Council Recommendation on promoting health-enhancing physical activity across sector.

The meeting takes place at 9:30 am tomorrow Wednesday 18 November in Committee Room 4, LH 2000. It will commence with scrutiny of EU legislative proposals can be viewed online here. It is anticipated that the session with the anti-pylon groups will commence at approximately 10 am.

Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926

Committee on Transport and Communications
Deputies: Paudie Coffey (Vice-Chair), Michael Colreavy, Timmy Dooley, Dessie Ellis, Tom Fleming, Brendan Griffin, Noel Harrington, Seán Kenny, Éamonn Maloney, Helen McEntee, Mattie McGrath, Michael Moynihan, Patrick O’Donovan, John O’Mahony (Chair) and Ann Phelan

Senators: Sean D. Barrett, Terry Brennan, Éamonn Coghlan, Paschal Mooney, Ned O’Sullivan and John Whelan