Maintenance crews getting lost trying to locate power line faults in Leitrim

“We have the ludicrous situation of a maintenance crew getting ’lost’ while trying to locate faults on power lines in Leitrim due to the complete neglect of any proper forestry maintenance and the lack of adherence to proper planning in some forests in the first place,” Sligo Leitrim Independent TD Marian Harkin said, following her intervention in Dáil Éireann.

She called on Energy Minister Eamon Ryan to hold forestry companies to account for poor forestry management resulting in downed power lines and poor access for repair crews.

“Like many parts of the country there were severe power outages in Leitrim following storm Isha,” Deputy Harkin told Minister Ryan, “While most parts of the country had power restored in a day or two, some parts of Leitrim, especially around Ballinamore, Cloone, Fenagh and much of South Leitrim did not see power restored for six to seven days.

Deputy Harkin explained that in many places no precautions were taken to protect the electricity infrastructure when the trees were being planted.

“We have planting beside power lines, under power lines, there are sallies toppling over taking down the wires, all leading to complete chaos.

“Repair crews came from Scotland to assist, at huge cost, and some got lost in the forestry trying to find power lines. When they located them, the set-aside was overrun with briars making it almost impossible to gain access,” Ms Harkin said.

“Forestry companies are planting and walking away without care and due diligence for their plantations and the situation will only get worse,” the Deputy continued.

“I think we need to ensure that trees are removed up to 30 metres from power lines and that all associated works are carefully completed in the immediate future,” she said.

Minister Ryan agreed and said that forestry companies have a real responsibility and legal obligation subject to the conditional licensing to protect the area alongside power lines so that they're not at risk of trees falling.

He said this lack of maintenance should not be tolerated and does need to change. He asked that specific instances be reported.

Deputy Harkin said that forestry companies should be held to account financially for the damage and disruption caused.

“Twenty-one percent of Leitrim is planted and with an increasing number of storms forecast the recent chaotic situation will be repeated again and again.

“If an analysis of the costs involved in bringing crews from other jurisdictions, the time taken to locate and repair faults, the disruption to families, to schools, health facilities and especially to homes with vulnerable occupants – to all types of businesses and the cost of loss of broadband, telecoms, etc – if these costs were calculated they would be just phenomenal and ordinary taxpayers should not be footing the bill,” Ms Harkin said.

“We need immediate and practical action by the Minister for Forestry to deal with this increasingly chaotic situation,” Deputy Harkin concluded.