THE HIGH Court has directed the State-owned electricity supply company, EirGrid plc, not to make a decision for another two weeks on a route for a 400Kv power line between Meath and Cavan.
Thomas Madden, a local and member of an anti-pylon group, had sought the continuing stay to allow him consider certain information recently provided by EirGrid related to its proposed routes. In legal proceedings yet to be heard, Mr Madden, legal liaison officer with the North-East Pylon Pressure Group, wants an order restraining the company from taking a decision on the 58km (36-mile) connection between Woodland in Co Meath and Kinsgscourt in Co Cavan. It is due to be part of a larger cross-Border interconnector to increase the security and reliability of electricity supply.
He claims EirGrid had failed to properly comply with its obligations under EU regulations governing access to information on the environment, by refusing to provide him with a consultant’s report it had commissioned on the possible routes. He also claims EirGrid had refused to supply the information because it asserted it was not a public authority within the meaning of the EU regulations.
Consultants for EirGrid, a State-owned company vested from the ESB in 2006, have identified three possible routes for the Meath/Cavan line. Mr Madden, a former detective garda, claims his home at Marshallstown, Kilmessan, Co Meath, lies directly under one of the three route options. EirGrid says that all route corridors are 1km wide and none will pass over any house.