300 wind turbine lorries per day drove into Offaly bog

THREE HUNDRED TRUCKS per day were recently driving into Clongawny / Derrinlough Bog just north of Birr, a recent meeting was told.
Area Engineer John Mitchell told the May monthly meeting of Birr Municipal District that the trucks were delivering parts for the construction of new wind turbines.
The Wind Farm will be known as Derrinlough Wind Farm and will consist of 21 turbines, with a blade tip height of 185 metres. About thirty kilometres of access roads have been constructed for the farm.
The Area Engineer told the meeting that the volume of heavy traffic had an adverse, big impact on the local and regional roads. He promised to keep an eye on the situation.
Cllr John Leahy said he was shocked to hear of so many trucks driving into the new Wind Farm. “I never realised it was so high,” he remarked. “300 trucks per day is a phenomenal number. Is there anything built into the planning conditions to safeguard against this?”
Director of Services Ann Dillon said road damage caused by the Wind Faarm company during the construction period is factored into the planning conditions, and that the Council would be compensated for road damage.
Cllr Dooley said we have to be cautious of a possible future in Offaly where there might be “lots of wind turbines, badly damaged roads and not enough jobs.”
Cllr John Carroll said the Wind Farm Community Fund should go towards upgrading the roads in places such as the environs of Meenwaun Wind Farm near Banagher.