Richard Boyd Barrett TD calls on ESB and Eirgrid to back off and put the cables underground

In a statement this evening, Richard Boyd Barrett TD welcomed the release of Teresa Tracey following her appearance in the High Court.

65 year old Teresa Treacy from Offaly was jailed on September 13th for refusing to allow the ESB to erect power cables on her land.

The ESB are trying to pull down trees on this land that have been nurtured by Teresa for many years and she has put huge personal investment into developing a bird and animal sanctuary on her land.

This issue has been going for some time. In 2007 Teresa told the ESB she would be happy to cooperate if they put the cables underground.

It is in fact EU best practice to put cables underground and this has been the case in similar instances around the country.

In a statement Richard Boyd Barrett TD said,

“It was a shameful and cruel situation to see the imprisonment of a pensioner for protecting her home while criminal bankers and speculators who have destroyed our country walk free”. Once again we see that there is one law for the rich and one law for the poor”.

For information/comment : Richard Boyd Barrett TD 086 7814520

Sara O’Rourke 087 2886646