Fresh row brewing over €160m. Mayo wind farm

A FRESH row is brewing over the proposed €160 million wind farm at Oweninny, near Crossmolina.

Behind the project, set to be one of the biggest in the country, are Bord Na Móna and the ESB and, when completed, will provided power to 50,000 households and help achieve Ireland's 2020 renewable electricity targets.

A legal agreement is in place for promoters, Oweninng Power Limited, to pay €2,500 per megawatt to Mayo County Council to administate a community benefit fund.

However, only four of the 100 households living within close proxinity to the project will benefit from the 'near neighbour scheme' put forward by the company.

Senator Michelle Mulherin has called on Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton, to examine how the community can feel a real benefit from the renewable electricity generation project in excess of the proposed €232,000 per year.

Local Councillor Michael Loftus told The Connaught Telegraph he hoped the new issues being raised by the community can be resolved by consultation over the coming weeks.

“It is important that there are clear lines of communications between all parties on this matter,” he added.

In a related development, environmental campaigner Dermot McDonnell has written to Mayo County Council seeking all correspondence between Oweninny Power Limited and the planning authorities since works at the site started last year under planning permission.

It is understood that Mr. McDonnell has raised specific concerns about the use of a road (L52925) at the location.