Bid to block lease of Offaly water tower over 5G concerns fails

OFFALY County Council voted to lease a water tower in Offaly to a telecommunications company despite the opposition of two councillors who were concerned that it could be used for a 5G mast.

Cllr Ken Smollen led the objection to the lease of the disused tower at Raghra, Shannonbridge when the proposal came before a meeting of the council on Monday.

The council executive proposed to lease the tower to Cignal Infrastructure Ltd for a premium payment of €20,000 followed by €2,000 “per year per operator” for 30 years.

Cllr Smollen quoted from the Limerick-based Fianna Fail TD Willie O'Dea, pointing out the former Minister's concerns about the safety of 5G technology. The Irish Democratic Party councillor also said Deputy O'Dea had stated that Switzerland, one of the leader of the roll-out of 5G, had put an indefinite moratorium on the use of the technology.

He further pointed to the Fianna Fail TD's statement that planning permission is not required for a 5G mast and that there is no consultation with communities. Willie O'Dea said the process would be better suited to a tin-pot dictatorship, Cllr Smollen told the meeting.

Referring specifically to the proposal before Offaly councillors, Cllr Smollen asked: “Can we be sure that this will not be used for the installation of equipment for 5G technology? I think if we cannot be sure it won't be used for that purpose I don't think this lease should go ahead.”

A number of other councillors rejected Cllr Smollen's statement, including Cllr John Leahy, Independent, who said “we're not scientists” and he did not have a problem with the lease. If there was a problem in the future it could be brought back to the chamber.

Cllr John Clendennen, Fine Gael, said the real issue was phone and internet coverage for everyone, those working from home and small businesses.

It was something he'd been hearing about in the council chamber for years. “We've identified blackspots, Shannonbridge being one of them in terms of phone coverage and internet,” said Cllr Clendennen.

He said leasing the water tower was the council's chance to make some land available to a company providing communications infrastructure.

“We really should provide the people of Shannonbridge and the surrounding areas with good phone coverage and good internet,” said Cllr Clendennen.

He said 5G was not included in the current proposal and that issue could be reviewed if “an independent study in the future finds there are complications around 5G and its roll-out”.

“Under no circumstances would I want anybody in this county to be putting their health and their life at risk,” said Cllr Clendennen.

Cllr John Carroll said the “jury is still out” on 5G but he understood the Shannonbridge facility would be for “ordinary antenna”, similar to what was already up on properties controlled by the gardai, the OPW and the ESB.

“We'd all have reservations about 5G until the story is finally approved but I don't think it's 5G that's going up on this immediately and I think there'll be a lot more discussion before it comes around the county,” said the Independent councillor.
Cllr Frank Moran, the Fianna Fail representative from Clara, expressed his reservations about the proposal, saying that if the council agreed to the lease it would be a 30-year contract “which we can't break”.

Cllr Smollen also hit back at those supporting the proposal. “I think it's a poor excuse putting people's lives and health at risk simply because we want broadband. I don't think that's good enough”.

He said concerns had been voiced about 5G in many places, including Laois. “I don't know whether it's dangerous or not but we don't know whether it's not dangerous and I think it's up to us, it's our responsibility to ensure it's not dangerous,” he said.

Cllr Noel Cribbin, the Fine Gael member from Edenderry, said he did not think that if 5G “was that bad” it'd be going up at all.
“I don't think Willie O'Dea would be an authority on 5G and what's life saving and what's life threatening,” he added.
After Cllr Smollen formally proposed that the lease be “stalled” until there was proper information on 5G “if that's what's going in there”, a vote was called by the Cathaoirleach, Cllr Peter Ormond.

Before the vote took place the council's chief executive, Anna Marie Delaney, said the installation of a 5G mast would be subject to a further licence.

Monday's council meeting took place in the council chamber with 17 councillors present, each sitting at least two metres from the other.

Two councillors, Cllr Eamon Dooley, Fianna Fail and Cllr Liam Quinn, Fine Gael, were participating in the meeting using Zoom technology but could not take part in the vote because they were not physically present in the chamber.

When the vote was taken 15 councillors rejected Cllr Smollen's proposal, Cllr Carroll, Cllr Clare Claffey, Cllr Clendennen, Cllr Cribbin, Cllr Neil Feighery, Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick, Cllr John Foley, Cllr Mark Hackett, Cllr Declan Harvey, Cllr John Leahy, Cllr Tony McCormack, Cllr Robert McDermott, Cllr Sean O'Brien and Cllr Ormond.

Cllr Moran was the only councillor to support Cllr Smollen.

Later in the meeting Cllr Dooley remarked: “I knew Willie O'Dea was very popular down in Limerick. I never thought he'd get two votes in Offaly as well. So well done, Willie O'Dea.”

Cllr Smollen told Cllr Dooley that it showed how “disjointed” Fianna Fail was that even when he quoted “from one of your own, you only get one of ye to support it”.

5G is a latest generation of mobile telecommunications technology and its proponents say it carries more data at faster speeds than its predecessors, enabling greater connectivity.

Its opponents have expressed concerns about radiation and exposure to electromagnetic fields, in addition to waves already generated by 2G, 3G, 4G and wifi.

The licensing of 5G in Ireland is overseen by ComReg, the Commission for Communications Regulation.