P r e s s R e l e a s e

Outrage over windfarm development at Barnesmore

For immediate release 22 August 1996

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) are shocked by An Bord Pleanala's decision to grant permission for the development of a windfarm at Keadew Upper at Barnesmore, Co. Donegal. The IPCC appealed the decision made by Donegal County Council in February on the grounds that the site was of high conservation value.

Having examined the terms and conditions of An Bord Pleanala's decision we feel that they have granted permission for this development without taking adequate account of IPCC's objections. Barnesmore is not listed as an Area of Scientific Interest in the Donegal County Development Plan because the National Parks and WIldlife Service (NPWS) have not yet undertaken a survey of mountain habitats. Following the proposal by Scottish Power Plc. to construct a windfarm there, the site was surveyed in detail by the NPWS and Birdwatch Ireland. This information was used to support IPCC's appeal to An Bord Pleanala.

The report by the NPWS stated that "it is intended to recommend this site for designation as a Natural Heritage Area and in all likelihood propose it as a candidate Special Area of Conservation on account of its relatively high integrity, unfragmented condition (no peat extraction, grazing pressure currently remarkably light over much of the site), good habitat diversity, and the currently undisturbed nature of this upland ecosystem".

Neither this statement nor the report from which it came andwhich backed IPCC"s appeal are referred to in the terms of the planning decision. The development is to proceed subject to a number of conditions, only one of which even mentions the ecological aspect of the area and this is in relation to improvements to access roads into the site.

While windfarms are thought to be an environmentally friendly source of energy, in this case the development is not without an environmental cost. We stand to lose a rare upland blanket bog habitat, which the Government is committed to conserving under EU legislation, just as it is committed to developing alternative renewable forms of energy.

"This case also highlights the need for a survey of upland bog habitats by the NPWS since it is these areas that are the focus of other windfarm developments in the pipeline. Otherwise, more valuable pieces of bogland like Barnesmore will be lost forever" says Dr Catherine O'Connell of the IPCC.

EDITOR'S NOTE 1: The Irish Peatland Conservation Council is a national charity and is entirely supported by voluntary contributions. Conservation projects include: purchasing bogland nature reserves, providing resources and training for teachers and education groups, repairing damaged bogs, fostering a positive attitude towards bogs, and encouraging lifestyles in harmony with the environment. The IPCC can be contacted at: Capel Chambers, 119 Capel Street, Dublin 1. Tel: 01-872 2397. Registered Charity Number: CHY6829

EDITOR'S NOTE 2: The work of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council is supported by the FÁS Community Employment Program.

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