THE ELECTRICITY Supply Board (ESB) says it does not intend to harm an ancient Irish oak woodland habitat during network upgrading works in Co Galway.
However, the board has been accused of being “economical with the truth” by landowners who fear that the ESB’s network upgrading will destroy the woodland, which includes a 250-year-old Irish oak.
Gia and Pat Howard are private owners of the woodland at Pollnaglocha, near Moycullen. Apart from oak, the woodland also comprises ash, hazel, hawthorn and blackthorn, and rich ground flora including a species of woodruff (Galium odoratum) which is uncommon in the west of Ireland.
ESB contractors cut back trees in the area in December, 1998, resulting in a court action by the Howards and settlement in July, 2005.
However, contractors returned to the same area in April, 2006, and carried out more cutting – within feet of the ancient oak, according to the Howards.
In July of this year, ESB contractors entered the lands again without notification, and upgraded electricity poles on the property, installing additional wiring.
A statement by ESB Networks said it had recently “completed upgrade work on the electricity network running across the Howard land at Moycullen”.
“ESB Networks staff carrying out this upgrade work are aware of the sensitivities surrounding the timber on the Howards’ land and completed the upgrade work without any timber cutting or trimming. The upgrade work was necessary to improve electricity continuity in the area,” it said.
“The improvement to the network did not require any additional poles on the land in question and therefore no wayleaves were required,” it said.
However, a contractor engaged by the ESB informed the Howards last week that further cutting would be required on their lands. The contractor agreed to leave when informed of the situation.
The “upgrade” carried out in July was such that the landowners fear ongoing cutting may now be required in the woodland.
The additional wire installed during that upgrade “practically touches the oak tree and will involve a wider area of cutting”, the Howards say.
A redundant pole was also cut down and thrown into the woodland, they state. The couple said they were “very unhappy” with the ESB’s approach to a fragile environment.