Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Last night in my parish of Castlecoote, County Roscommon, 140 people attended a public meeting which had been called by Councillors Orla Leyden and Ivan Connaughton. A unanimous decision was taken to oppose with all strength and in every possible way, politically and legally, a proposal that Coillte dispose of our lands, not its lands, for sustainable commercial development as listed in advertisements in the Roscommon Peopleand the Roscommon Herald. The bottom line of the advertisements referred to the "sustainable development proposals and the likely financial returns to Coillte". Coillte is a State company owned by the one shareholder, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. We will oppose wind turbines destroying our area, a most beautiful area for tourists, with rivers, streams and lakes, encompassing fishing and sustainable development. The Cuisle Irish Wheelchair Association national holiday centre is located close to the area in question. These wind turbine monstrosities are to be imposed on our communities which they will destroy and defile by bribing farmers to give sites to foreign companies. I thought we had got rid of them in the 1920s, but they are back again and trying to buy up properties. I want to have a debate on this question with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. We will fight tooth and nail in our parishes to ensure a sustainable living for our people. We will not have these monstrosities which will be higher than the Spire on O'Connell Street in Dublin hanging over their heads. I am putting down a marker that this is a fight to the finish. We will oppose any politician who will back the project in the next general election. If we have to, we will fight them every inch of the way. I cannot understand how anyone could do this to us and wreck our beautiful area which I invite any Senator to come to see.I want the support of Senators to oppose these people. This is not Coillte's land; it is our land and we should decide how to use it for the future of Ireland.