Leitrim officials voice forestry concerns directly to Minster Healy-Rae
Elected representatives from Co. Leitrim have met with the Minister of State for Forestry, Horticulture and Farm Safety, Michael Healy-Rae discuss issues with forestry in the county.
Sinn Féin councillor for Ballinamore, Brendan Barry told Agriland that the width of corridors around ESB lines was the main issue discussed at the meeting yesterday (March 25).
"The minister was saying that it's up to the ESB to set the width of the corridors, and the department would amend how close they’d be paying premium to plant trees close to wires, but that would be coming from the ESB first," Barry said.
"The department talked about how the agreement brought about from the IFA (Irish Farmers' Association) negotiating on behalf of farmers, and land owners and forestry owners, with the ESB in 1992, and that is how those corridors were agreed."
According to Barry, the cut-off distance to wires from which the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) will pay farmers to plant trees depends on the width of the corridors that ESB Networks will compensate for.
"It’s not enshrined in any legislation for corridors.
"That agreement is in place, and if a forestry owner applies to the ESB for compensation, in return the ESB gets a full legal easement across that property for, let's say, the 20-metre corridor.
"If the person doesn’t apply for compensation, the ESB doesn’t have that full easement across the land and it’s not in legislation. They didn’t tell us there is anything they can definitely do if there is people that are breaching that if they hadn’t agreed it with the ESB," Barry added.
The Leitrim councillor believes it "should be enforced" that farmers can't plant trees inside the corridors and continue to get paid premiums.
"The farmers aren’t getting paid premium to plant trees in that area, and they shouldn’t be planting because of the agreement and adhering to the guidelines. For protecting vital infrastructure, like ESB lines, people shouldn't be planting in the corridors," Barry explained.
According to Barry in relation to ongoing issues in Leitrim the Commission for Regulation of Utilities can "put a move on things" and ensure that the ESB looks for wider corridors.
"The regulator is there to protect consumers, we are all consumers because we purchase our electricity. We should have a supply that is dependable and continuous, and shouldn’t be down for any length of time."
"The regulator should put pressure on the ESB to have wider corridors, and ensure that the electricity supply is more resilient," he added.
