BY DAVID FORSYTHE
THE planning process for new mobile phone masts is not fit for purpose, according to county mayor Cllr Joe Carroll.
He made the comments at the recent meeting of Cork County Council’s Western Divisional Committee held in Clonakilty where he said ‘there is a serious issue about planning for new masts and antennae.’
‘I can name two in West Cork where people are not happy. There is one in Drinagh that is right outside a lady’s house. It’s making a buzzing noise right outside the house. Then there is another in Drimoleague, they woke up one morning and it was there!’
He described the planning process around these masts as ‘ridiculous and reckless.’
‘There is no planning regarding all the extras they put on them either. We all need to use our mobile phones but this a national issue and we need to be doing something about it,’ he said.
Bantry Cllr Danny Collins (Ind Ire) said that public consultation should be part of the planning process for new masts. ‘The one in Drimoleague is right in the middle of the village, we really need to look into this. Public consultation is needed on these planning applications.’
Cllr Isobel Towse (SD) said that she had been contacted by a number of constituents who were concerned about new mobile masts. ‘People are worried. There is no public consultation on these,’ she said.
West Cork divisional manager Michael Lynch said that there were instances where planning was required for new masts but in some cases a Section 254 licence applied.
He said that the roll-out of new 5G masts was part of the response to the need for communications technology in rural areas and that there was a right of appeal to Section 254 licences.
