This article is from page 17 of the 2011-01-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
SUPPORTERS of a proposed wind farm in east Clare say the project could potentially generate up to 300 jobs in the area.
Local landowners and farmers are due to meet in the coming weeks to discuss the possibility of developing two wind farms in the Broadford and Ardnacrusha areas.
The project was lent extra impetus by last week’s decision by Clare County Council to keep its existing wind energy strategy in the new County Development Plan.
Councillors had argued that a re- vised strategy would place a number of proposed wind farm projects, such as the one in Broadford, in jeopardy.
Though still in the early stages, landowner PJ Donnellan said that if successful, the project could help revitalise the local economy.
He explained, “There would be one starting in Broadford, going into Ardnacrusha and there’s another one from the Windy Gap going down into Ardnacrusha. It’s a co-op project. We set up the co-op to create jobs for people in our area. We hope it could create about 300 jobs.”
Mr O’Donnell continued, “We’re trying to get jobs for that area and keep everything going. Farmers would be getting an income out of it. The local GAA clubs, sports clubs would benefit out of it. The big companies would just want the land to set up and they would put nothing back. There are complaints about noise and that but I’ve been down at other wind farms and they don’t have any noise out of them. All the councillors supported it the last day. We’re only just at the early stages. We will be looking for planning. Our biggest thing was to get the land re-zoned again.”
Mr O’Donnell said that as many as 30 farmers are looking to get involved in the project which he said has been supported by the local branch of the Irish Farmer’s Association (IFA).
He added, “We’re looking to create jobs for the local area, number one. They would have an income out of it. The local sports teams would all benefit. Young fellas wouldn’t have to go Australia; you wouldn’t have all these guys forced out of the country. And we would be producing energy for this country, we wouldn’t have to be going around the world, to Iraq or wherever to buy oil. The money for oil and diesel, that goes out of the country, back to Dubai or wherever…With wind power, it’s produced in Ireland, the money stays in Ireland. That’s the way it should go.”
Another supporter, Joe O’Connell, cautioned that the project was still very much in the early stages and that there is a “long road” to travel before the area could see any real benefit.
He explained, “We’ve got a group of farmers together and we’re trying to put up a wind farm but it’s at the very early stages. It would be a clean supply of energy but there is a long road to go yet, before you even get planning permission. And even if you got that, the biggest problems can be getting on the grid. You have to wait and wait.”