Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

On a matter not directly related to the Bill but something one could possibly squeeze in as an addendum to it, measures might be enacted to compel energy companies such as EirGrid and the ESB to have a little more consideration for landowners over whose land they want to put large electricity pylons and transmission lines to avoid the appalling situation which led Ms Teresa Treacy into prison simply because she wanted to see transmission lines put underground. It is quite possible to put those lines underground and the State should use its influence with the ESB and EirGrid to ensure that they are put underground where reasonable requests are made by people for that to be done and to avoid a situation where an elderly woman lands herself in prison because of the actions of a State company.

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