One of the country’s best known entertainers, Tommy Tiernan is objecting to new plans for a €1.4bn wind farm comprising ’30 Eiffel Tower sized turbines’ off the coast of Co Galway and Co Clare.
The TV chat-show host is one of 177 third parties to lodge submissions with An Bord Pleanála on the plan to construct the 450 MW wind-farm with 30 turbines over 1,000 ft high in the Atlantic Ocean.
Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta is planning to construct its Sceirde Rocks wind-farm on waters located 5km to 11.5m km off the west coast with Carna in Galway the nearest settlement.
The planned first off-shore wind-farm is to power 350,000 Irish homes, save an estimated 550,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, and invest up to €70m in local community initiatives.
The wind-turbines are to reach a tip height of 325 metres which is just short of the 330 metre tall Eiffel Tower in Paris.
In his objection, Tommy Tiernan writes: “I’m objecting to the proposed off-shore wind farm near Carna, Connemara, County Galway on the grounds of desecration of that area of natural beauty.”
The actor, comedian and podcaster said: “Culture is judged on how it protects areas and ideals such as this. Allowing such a project to go ahead when there are many more suitable sites either much further off-shore or inland would be a totally irresponsible and disgusting thing to do.”
He said: “There has to be more to our country than a utilitarian exploitation of where we live.”
Galway West TD, Catherine Connolly has told the appeals board “I have received numerous representations from a diverse range of people expressing their very serious concerns about the proposed development.”
Deputy Connolly said that she supports the call for an oral hearing and highlighted the scale and number of wind turbines in her submission.
The Carna-based Conamara Coastal Protection community group has told the appeals board that it has concerns over the impact on a person “looking out on a horizon of 30 Eiffel Tower sized turbines in the middle of an area of outstanding natural beauty”.
The objection states “that there is concern of a possible loss of value in property assets due to the industrialisation of this beautiful landscape”.
Mary Bates of Carna and founder of MacDara Films Ltd has told the appeals board that “the overwhelming size and height of the wind farm so close to the shoreline represents the largest destruction of an Irish coastline to date”.
In her objection, Paula Ní Chualáin of Maínis, Carna has told the appeals board “these turbines will tower over us as they will be 5km from our home. The prospect of constant shadow flicker in our home which we planned to make the most of the sun and natural light is frightening”.
Ms Ní Chualáin said: “The silent and dark skies will be gone, replaced by 30 flashing red lights on the turbines and the noise pollution from the blades.”
The parents committee of Scoil Cholmain, Muighinis state that parents chose the school for their children for its peaceful environment, stunning landscape and strong connection to nature.
They state that “the introduction of industrial scale wind-turbines directly outside the school threaten to severely undermine these benefits”
The Galway and Aran Fisherman’s Co-operative is also objecting, claiming that the proposed development and cable infrastructure “has the capacity to wreck productive fishing grounds and are a real threat to the sustainability of the stock of Nephrops (Norwegian Lobster)”.
The objection states that fishermen are now threatened with the loss of their legitimate business. Connemara Conservation CLG is also opposed and is represented by well known Dublin based environmental and planning lawyer , Fred Logue who says in a submission “the application should be refused by the board”.
Connemara Chamber of Commerce and Connemara Organic Seaweed have lodged submissions in support of the planned off-shore windfarm.
The applicant company is a joint venture between the Australian based Macquarie Group and global infrastructure investor, the Ontario Teachers Pension Board.
On lodging the plans in January, Stakeholder Manager for Sceirde Rocks Windfarm, Michael Cloherty said: “This planning application marks the culmination of around three years of surveying, data analysis and community engagement activity.
He said: “We have worked closely with the local community to design a project which we believe will deliver on their needs and expectations and we are grateful to everyone who met with our team and engaged with us throughout this process.”
Project Director of Sceirde Rocks Windfarm, Paul Concannon said at the time: “Sceirde Rocks Windfarm has the potential to deliver enduring benefits to Ireland and to local communities in Galway – reducing Ireland’s carbon emissions, improving energy security, and stimulating vital investment in local skills, employment, infrastructure and business development.”
The board is due to make a decision on 28 July.
An Bord Pleanála confirmed on Monday that the application continues to be ‘live’ as a news report last week reported that the project is not to proceed.
Accounts filed by Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta show that the company has already invested €31.7m on project costs in 2023 and 2024.
The company had accumulated losses of €35.93m at the end of March 2024 as the company steered the project during various regulatory hurdles.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
