Belturbet man Sean McMahon says bad planning and planning laws are the reasons why Cavan and Leitrim people have been without power after Storm Darragh. He was speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show earlier when he said power lines surrounded by dense forestry have been the last ands pointed out that Leitrim and west Cavan have more than their fair share land rented out for forestry.
As of this morning, 168 homes and businesses in County Leitrim were still without power seven days after Storm Darragh hit. He said trees are effectively being "dumped" in the Shannonside / Northern Sound region by rich people who buy up land to plant forestry in unsuitable ground. The same doesn't happen in places like Tipperary and Meath, Seanie added.
He called on the next minister with responsibility for forestry and / or electricity to address the issue head-on so as to spare the people of west Cavan and Leitrim suffering power loss and everything that goes with it in future:
