By Damian McCarney

A delegation of North East Pylons Pressure campaign (NEPP) hoped to sway influential TDs and Senators to support their proposal to put EirGrid’s high power cables underground when they brief a Joint Oireachtas Committee yesterday.

The meeting in Leinster House was the third in a series of public hearings by the committee into EirGrid’s plan to string high powered electricity cables on pylons across the North East.

NEPP also made a submission to the international consultants to be appointed by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to report on overhead lines versus underground cabling in the development of the national electricity grid.

“They have already announced an independent inquiry into under-grounding and that is the result from the pressure of our campaign,” said chairman of NEPP Francis Lally who will be one of the four strong delegation travelling to Leinster House.

“It is a chance for us to influence Senators and TDs from all over the country, because we feel it has become a national issue. Hopefully we will get a good hearing.”

Meanwhile last week up to 1,500 took part in a rally outside the Spring Seminar of the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, a gathering of county councillors from all over the country, meeting in Trim.

Environment minister, John Gormley, had been expected at the event but withdrew during the week. Lally admitted that Minister Gormley’s absence did “take away from the day” but he was heartened by the numbers who travelled to support NEPP.

“We are delighted with this support, because it was a Friday, a working day, and people had to give up their time to come to Trim,” he said.