Activist responds to Sliabh Bán announcement
Local activist, Mike de Jong has responded angrily to an announcement made by Coillte last Saturday that they have completed the first phase of recreational facilities as part of the Sliabh Bán wind farm.
In a letter to the Roscommon People, Mr. de Jong described dealing with Bórd na Móna and Coillte regarding Sliabh Bán as “like living in a world of Donald Trump’s alternative facts.”
Mr. de Jong also claimed that Coillte have not completed any further work on recreational amenities at the wind farm since a circular track was completed “before the wind turbines ever arrived”.
In his letter, Mr. de Jong also highlighted issues with access tracks to a circular walk on Sliabh Bán.
He wrote: “And to top it off they have done nothing about complaints they received about the dangerously steep access track to the circular walk and the tiny and poorly located picnic area they created at the start of the walk.”
The activist, who is part of the Sliabh Bán Community Group, called on both Coillte and Bord na Móna to respond to complaints of wind turbine noise, which, he said “for some families has led to being woken up in their sleep.”
Mr. de Jong suggested that “Coillte and Bord na Móna could publish a final plan for the amenities on the mountain or better still provide a public tour of the mountain which shows off the exercise and horse trails as contained in the original planning permission.”
Mr. de Jong also urged Coillte to provide clarification on the development of viewing platforms and other recreational facilities on the mountain as well as the future location of ‘phase two’ of the amenity development.
