Community angry at delivery of report

Residents of the south Galway community of Derrybrien were "incensed" yesterday at the manner in which they were given the Hibernian Wind Energy consultants' report on the landslide.

They have also reiterated their call that no work resume on site until an independent investigation is carried out by the European Commission.

Three east Galway TDs and senators have separately called on Hibernian Wind Power to stop all blasting on the Slieve Aughty mountain site if it is given permission to continue construction of the 60-megawatt, 71-turbine wind farm.

Mr Martin Collins, chairman of the Derrybrien Action Group, was one of a half-dozen residents and land-owners gathered in Egan's Pub in Derrybrien yesterday to receive the study.

A representative of Hibernian Wind Energy arrived shortly before 2 p.m. and left a cardboard box containing four copies of the study on a table.

"We had expected to meet senior management, and instead we were given an office junior," Mr Collins said.

However, Hibernian Wind Power said the residents were offered the opportunity of a briefing yesterday and declined. A separate briefing was arranged for east Galway representatives in Dublin.

Mr Collins denied that any briefing had been offered. He said that the 40 households in the south Galway farming community still wanted an EU investigation to be completed before any work continues.

However, he said he welcomed the admission by the company that construction at the wind farm site was to blame.

Mr Collins said he was sceptical of the independence of Galway County Council's forthcoming report, as the company had not complied with the terms of its planning permission and the local authority had failed to act.

Mr Collins added that he believed that both reports should have been published together.

Mr Joe Callanan TD (FF), Senator Micheal Kitt (FF) and Senator Ulick Burke (FG) last night called on the company to halt blasting on the site if work on the wind farm does resume.

The three, who attended a briefing provided by the company in Dublin yesterday along with the Minister of State, Mr Noel Treacy, said they would also like to see close monitoring of all aspects of the work.

Mr Joe Callanan said there were a number of questions still to be answered, including the extent of surveying carried out on the site before construction began.