Residents of Rooskey are furious with the erection of three large antennae on top of an old water tower near the centre of the village. That’s according to Independent Councillor Tom Crosby. On Wednesday evening of last week local councillor Tom Crosby received a number of calls from very concerned residents in the Rooskey area in relation to the erecting of three large antenna on top of the old water tower near the centre of the village. Cllr Crosby met with a number of the residents in Rooskey Village on Thursday morning, all of whom expressed their genuine fears and concerns with the erecting of the masts which overlook the playgrounds and the new national school which is only about two or three hundred yards from the water tower. The masts are also overlooking the Church, a new nursing Home and a large number of residential housing and new housing estates which have been built in recent times in close proximity to the old Water Tower. ‘Over the last ten years or so there was a number of efforts made to place similar masts in this location but were opposed vehemently by the local community. In 1997 there were efforts to place the masts on the local Garda station and again in 2001 a planning application was submitted for the water tower which led to several hundred signatures on a petition opposing such application. At that time I raised the matter in the Council Chamber and the community were successful in having the then plans dropped. ‘It is understood that Vodafone has used a planning exemption clause to proceed on this occasion without any consultation with the local community, relying on the water tower being a public building but there is widespread belief in the local community that this old water tower which has not been in use for more than twenty years is no longer a public building and is in fact on private lands.’ Cllr. Crosby is bringing the matter before the next meeting of Roscommon County Council requesting that Vodafone remove these masts from this very unsuitable location and instead co-locate on existing masts which would equally serve the region and a requirement of such co-location is clearly stated in the Roscommon County Development Plan.
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