‘I can't ignore the potential for new jobs'

 

Westmeath should be doing everything in its power to attract wind farm developers, and not putting up restrictions against them, according to Cllr Colm Arthur.

At the last county council meeting, the Fine Gael man was the only councillor who spoke against his party colleague Peter Burke’s motion calling on the council to restrict the development of large scale windfarms to cut away bogs.
Cllr Arthur says a “game-changer” for him is the potential for a manufacturing hub in the midlands.

“The scale of the project means companies can look at building turbines in Ireland,” he said. “If it was only 50 or 60 turbines, there wouldn’t be the economies of scale for manufacturing. We are looking at a five- to 10-year job span. Instead of shipping the stuff in from abroad, we should be looking to have it made in Westmeath and Offaly.”

Commending Offaly County Council on its high level of engagement with the wind turbine developers, Mainstream and Element, Cllr Arthur says that Westmeath should be following suit.

“Notwithstanding planning issues, we shouldn’t limit turbines to cutaway bogs. We have to take a broader view and not limit their scope. There is a lot of remote farmland in Westmeath that is suitable.

“The big thing is the amount of work and jobs. That was the big thing with the anti-side – that the turbines would be coming here on a helicopter and dropped in to the landowner, and we wouldn’t see anyone again.

“We shouldn’t be left out in the cold. We have the sites for manufacturing,” he added.

Cllr Arthur says that he refused to head an anti-windfarm group in Rochfortbridge as he believes that the potential economic benefits of windfarms are significant and he “can’t go against jobs”.

He added that the anti-windfarm stance taken by many of his colleagues has been done with one eye on next summer’s local elections.

“As a public representative I have to take a broad view. I’d rather see people being able to pay their bills and being able to work than saying goodbye to their children who are emigrating. I live by the motorway – you get used to things but you never get used to poverty,” he said.