Pylons and the price of power

Sir, – As a retired ESB staff member I am aware that there are many retired staff who spent probably most of their careers working on the maintenance and repair of high-voltage compounds/switchyards associated with power and transmission stations. They would have worked in very close proximity to high-voltage equipment and many, like myself, have lived to enjoy the benefits of our superannuation scheme.

Has there been any data collected on any possible effects on them of a life lived under the buzz of the power line? – Yours, etc,

JIM CALLAN,

Old Bawn Way,

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Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Sir, – It is just 50 years ago since the ESB demolished 15 houses on Lower Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin, in what is now universally condemned as an unmitigated disaster in terms of the consequences for heritage and architecture. Today, and with many other such disasters behind us, it looks as if nothing has been learned from our multitude of mistakes.

The proposal to drape the priceless beauty of the Irish countryside of the southeast with electricity pylons is analogous to dragging a Stanley knife across a priceless Renoir or Monet. – Yours, etc,

PHILIP O’REILLY

Grosvenor Place,

Rathmines,

Dublin 6.

A chara, – If the Government banned electricity pylons it would only drive them underground. – Is mise,

LOMAN Ó LOINGSIGH,

Kiltipper Road,

Dublin 24.