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For immediate release

Thursday 24 September 2009

Senator Mark Daly has welcomed Kerry County Council’s decision to refuse permission for the proposed construction of a 12 metre high mobile phone mast in Glenbeigh, Co. Kerry and spoke in the Seanad this week on the case in Annascaul, Co. Kerry where An Bord Pleanála granted permission for the erection of a mast despite the objection raised by Kerry County Council.

Senator Daly has long voiced his opposition to the plan on a public health and safety basis. Having already expressed his concern over mobile phone masts in previous debates in Seanad Éireann, the Senator cited a personal vested interest in the issue, both his aunt and uncle died of cancer and having lived and worked less than a 1km away from a mobile phone mast.

Furthermore, the erection of mobile phone masts within a kilometre of schools and hospitals is prohibited under Kerry County Council’s Development Plan, a rule which would have been broken if the proposed development at Glenbeigh had gone ahead.

The Development Plan states that 'It is the policy of the Planning Authority that telecommunication masts shall not be located within 1 kilometre of residential properties, schools, hospitals or any structures where there are is human occupancy for residential or daily work purposes'.

In recognising the seriousness of the issue, Senator Daly called for Kerry Council’s standard rule of 1km to be implemented at a national level and calls on Minister Gormley to include it on the forthcoming Planning and Development Bill. Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Daly stated that 'We must have a national policy in regard to the siting of mobile phone masts. I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate with the Minister which should include consideration of a nationwide provision similar to Kerry County Council's 1km rule in respect of the siting of all masts but bearing in mind the need to provide broadband.'.

ENDS

For more information, contact Mark on 086 8032 612