CAMPAIGNERS opposing the proliferation of wind farms in Co Donegal have written an open letter to Taoiseach Enda Kenny, accusing the Government of using this county as a ‘dumping ground’ for turbines.
Ernan O’Donnell, speaking on behalf of the Glenties Windfarm Information Group, said the turbines are destroying tourism.
Mr O’Donnell spoke out as more than TWO THOUSAND Co Donegal townlands are designated as ‘preferred for wind farm development’ under the County Development Plan 2012-2018.
This is his letter in full:
Dear Mr Kenny,
This is to inform you that I abhor the designation of my county as a money generating bonanza for faceless, money mad creatures from God knows where.
We have entrusted you with our county but this is what you do to it:
a) Sixth century churches and graveyards designated, ‘preferred for wind development’.
b) Hills and valleys that our people fought and died for designated, ‘preferred for wind development’.
c) Ancient hand crafted stone ditches, scallans, cairns, Mass rocks and monuments designated, ‘preferred for wind development’.
All of this is your plan for our county. All of this is to generate more money for obscenely financially wealthy people. All of this is in the name of ‘green energy’ but it will actually increase our carbon emissions and remove our carbon storage (and credits). All of this will destroy our tourism as you have already destroyed our fishing and our farming.
Wind farming on our hills will not be economically viable, nor environmentally viable. It will destroy. Is this your answer to some problem? Is this your version of ethnic cleansing ? Is your plan to empty Donegal of people and then make it the scrap metal capital of Europe ? Do you think this will satisfy the demands of your masters ?
If it is your wish to go down in history then this designation will achieve for you. You will go down in history, down, down, down to the pits. You will be spoken of in the same breath as Diarmuid MacMurrough who sold his daughter and his country to the foreigner. Your daughter might be safe from you but this county is not.
Your great renewable ‘wind energy’ is a myth. It is subsidized by taxpayers’ money. These taxpayers will never see nor use, the electricity, nor the profits, generated. The foreign money invested will be ‘hoovered’ up by the developers/destroyers and the taxpayers will have to repay the loans as taxpayers are already repaying the loans from the ‘building burst’.
Some of the major players/countries in wind energy have already ceased erecting new turbines. Some of them are already being hit with medical claims, property value loss compensation and also with the realisation that the removal of turbines does not, and never will, restore the environment. The damage is great and it is permanent. The profit goes elsewhere and the debt remains; the stigma will attach permanently to your name.
Is this what you want to be remembered for ? The destruction of a county and its heritage; i.e. the ethnic cleansing of a county; the ruthless ‘clearance’of a county’s population to make way for foreign metal junk. Take a look at the list of 2363 townlands preferred for wind development, take a look at the map of the areas preferred for wind development, take a look at what will remain of Donegal county for the people of Donegal. When you’ve looked at all of that take a look at yourself. I do not know what you will see but I know what I see.
Ernan O’Donnell
on behalf of the Glenties Windfarm Information Group’
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