Report Demanded Over ESB 'snub'

GALWAY City Council’s failure to stop the ESB from illegally erecting pylons in the city without planning permission is sending out the signal to developers that there’s a 'free for all’ and they can build what they want with impunity, a city Councillor has claimed.There was outrage in March of this year when it emerged that the ESB erected steel pylons adjacent to a children’s play area and skateboarding site at Westside pitch without planning permission.The ESB subsequently acknowledged to the Council that the pylons were unauthorised and gave a verbal commitment that they would halt all works until retention of planning permission was obtained.However, according to Councillor Colette Connolly (Lab), the ESB hasn’t yet applied for retention and although work ceased for about one week, it recommenced again three weeks ago and the Council has just turned a blind eye.“I want a full report into the erection of illegal pylons in Westside. Are they seriously asking us to believe that highly-qualified and highly-paid people in ESB didn’t know that you need planning permission to erect pylons?“It’s ridiculous, but the Council just turned a blind eye and buried their head in the sand. Even now, after the furore, the Council have given them free...