Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would not like to have power lines close to my house or closely overhead to where my family live. In fairness, the Government should take the concerns of the people into account in making a decision on this issue. It has been proven where there was only a 38 kV line that it affected five families who got sick and passed on. The places the debate is about are far away from me and I do not know what kind of ground is in issue. There is a case to be made for pylons where there is a mountain and it is not possible to put the cables underground. In those remote places, it might be all right to have overhead power lines. However, where the line is passing near houses or close to where people are travelling, it is not fair to do that. The companies involved are making enough profit to sustain undergrounding the cables where they are near people and where children are going to school who might be affected. We must safeguard people first and let the companies strive to make profit after. If they told the truth, in some cases it is cheaper to underground the cables where there is a certain kind of ground. If the ground is rocky, there is a case for building the pylons overground. If the ground is very boggy or swampy and it is hard for machinery to travel or to open trenches, it might not be practical either. In places like that, however, one will find there are no people.

I ask the Minister to take into account the well-being and health of the people being asked to live close to these power lines because it is not fair. There is another way around it, which is to underground the cables. I ask that cables are not put overhead where there are people. It is not fair. I hope the Government will take cognisance of what previous speakers have said because it is a very genuine case. The health of the people must come first and everything else is after that.

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