An action group opposing mobile-phone masts in Meath is planning High Court action to secure compensation for home-owners whose properties have dropped in value because of the existence of a nearby mast.
Mast Action In Meath (MAIM), which campaigned against the erection of a mobile-phone mast close to a national school, said parents would remove their children from the school if it was allowed. MAIM has welcomed the decision of Meath County Council to refuse the application.
The mast was sought by O2, and the refusal came after the council had earlier asked for additional information in relation to co-location, using existing phone masts. The council also said the masts were visually intrusive.
The group has retained a legal team to challenge any appeals to An Bord Pleanála by O2.
"MAIM is planning to employ a national auctioneer to value houses and property in the vicinity of masts, before and after construction, with the intention of pursuing a compensation case in the High Court. It is well known that a mobile-phone mast can cause local property values to crash," said a spokesman, Mr Don MacAuley.
He said there were several new applications for phone masts in the county. Meteor has applied for a 30m mast at Ballivor, Vodafone for 26m masts at Greenan, Oldcastle and Carrickleck, Nobber, and there is application for another mast at Julianstown, Nobber.
"With the proliferation of phone masts in the county, despite 99 per cent mobile-phone coverage, there is an immediate need for controls on the location and number of masts in Meath," Mr MacAuley added.
The group has been lobbying county councillors to adopt a motion which states that base stations and masts should not generally be constructed within one kilometre of smaller towns, villages, residential areas, schools, hospitals, childcare centres or nursing homes and not within 400 metres of a private dwelling.
"We need a county-wide policy to control the numbers of masts and in particular to protect our children from this increasing microwave radiation," Mr MacAuley added.