'A total lack of respect': Irate north Longford residents up in arms over mast installation

Local homeowners from Abbeylara claim the structure, installed in January after Longford County Council approved a licencing application last November, was done without their knowledge or input.

The near 60ft ‘streetpole solution’, equipped with an alpha antenna and ground equipment, was erected by Laois based telecoms infrastructure company Cignal Infrastructure Ltd to improve mobile and broadband connectivity in the greater north Longford area.

A public meeting held last Thursday evening in Abbeylara Community Centre, heard claims of how local villagers had been left completely in the dark over the mast’s installation.

“It is very close to our houses and we are very unhappy about it,” said chairperson Peadar McKiernan.

“It has just been hoisted on us. We went to work one day and we came home and it was there. There was no notification and we are very disappointed with Longford County Council.”

Mr McKiernan said the decision by local planning officials to grant approval for the mast showed a “total lack of respect for the community” and bemoaned how residents were still unaware as to the mast’s construction.

The local resident also complained how the structure’s presence had already caused concern locally over the long term effects it would have both from an economical and tourism standpoint.

“We went to work one day and we came home and it was there,” he said.

“If you went to sell in the morning, what would you get for it? Automatically it would turn a lot of people away from buying.

“I know myself if I seen a house with a mast that close, I would automatically say no.

“It’s very annoying, I think we are all very frustrated, angry and we are extremely disappointed with Longford County Council. We looked for information and we couldn’t get it.”

Fellow local Paul Keenan, whose house stands barely 25 yards from the mast, bemoaned the “democratic deficit” which locals had been forced to endure, adding many unanswered questions still remained.

“This is not Ukraine or Russia and we are all given opportunities to express our views but through this whole process, there has been none of that,” he said.

“The licence appears to be very different from other licences approved around the country. A lot of the other licences have conditions and so does this one but it is interesting this one doesn’t have conditions around putting additional equipment on it.”

There were equally concerning remarks from three local councillors PJ Reilly, Garry Murtagh and Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Turlough McGovern.

Cllr Reilly said he had held a number of meetings with senior planning officials who informed him that following a change in legislation at national level, the issue was one which had been taken out of the remit of the county council.

“I am not happy with where it is. I had three or four meetings with the head planning officer in Longford County Council and he said to me straight out it really is nothing got to do with us,” he said. “Back some time ago legislation was changed in the Dail that allowed for these masts to not need planning permission.”

Cllr Murtagh, meanwhile, said a similar scenario had reared its head in nearby Ballinamuck which, like the dilemma facing Abbeylara residents, had left locals up in arms.

His Independent colleague Cllr McGovern said as first citizen of the county, he had been shocked and surprised at the development.

He told the meeting of how he first learned of the news when receiving a phonecall from Mr McKiernan at a book launch in Granard as recently as two weeks ago.

“As a local representative and most of all in being in and around Longford County Council as cathaoirleach for the last six to eight months I was very annoyed,” he said.

“I came out on Sunday and looked around it and I certainly wouldn't be happy with where it is.”

In a letter issued to residents ahead of last week’s meeting, a senior Longford County Council official said because the application submitted to the council was for the granting of a licence as opposed to a planning application, it had “regretfully removed the public notice and submission element from the process.”

The contents of a government circular letter was also attached which, outlined how the council’s planning authority function had been limited to two overarching areas.

“Essentially what this means is that the planning authority can only consider traffic safety and visual amenity issues when considering the location of mobile phone masts for licence purposes,” he said.

Local residents are now expected to table an official appeal to An Bord Pleanala over the coming weeks.