Opposition to the ESB's plan to erect high-voltage power lines at a number of locations throughout the country gathered momentum yesterday when protesters gathered outside the company's head office in Dublin.
About 130 campaigners representing groups in Bantry, Co Cork, Sligo, Roscommon and Fingal, Co Dublin, handed in a letter requesting that the lines go underground. The protesters say their biggest worry is the health implications of pylons.
Frank Mulligan, from Grange, Boyle, Co Roscommon, a member of the group opposing a planned 65km (40 mile) line from Flagford, Co Roscommon, to Srananagh, Co Sligo, said there was no reason why the lines could not go underground. "In our case they could reduce the length of the line by 15 miles if they buried it along the route of the N4," he said.
Mr Mulligan said the group was prepared to go "all the way" on this issue and would not be giving the ESB access to private land, even if ordered to do so by the courts.
"We already have a list of people who are prepared to go to jail if it comes to it and a second list of people ready to look after their property," he said.
An ESB spokesman insisted that there was no health risk from the pylons and said repeated studies had failed to establish any link. Full planning permission had been granted for the three lines which were the subject of yesterday's protest, he added.
"It is standard international practice to put these lines overhead because the cost of putting them underground is multiples of the overhead option," said the spokesman.
"The time to locate and rectify faults is obviously much longer if they are underground," he added.
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