Irish Rail mast row set for High Court

A long-running row about the erection of a 30-foot mast by Irish Rail at Ballymote railway station in Co Sligo looks set to reach the High Court.

Local Fine Gael TD John Perry yesterday urged Irish Rail to remove the mast following a ruling from An Bord Pleanála that the structure was not exempt from the planning process.

Local people objected strongly last year when the company erected the mast without planning permission at the train station, which is a listed building adjacent to a children's playground and town park.

Sligo County Council initiated enforcement proceedings last year but Irish Rail argued that the structure was exempt from the planning process as its purpose was to provide "safety-critical communications" between train drivers and signalling staff.

An Bord Pleanála's ruling that the mast does require planning permission was welcomed by local independent county councillor Margaret Gormley, who said she was horrified to learn that Irish Rail now intended to spend taxpayers' money on a court challenge.

She pointed out that the council had been forced to refer the matter to An Bord Pleanála because Irish Rail had refused to do so or to accept that it had to have planning permission.

Irish Rail has stressed that there is no health risk attached to the mast, which operates on the UHF system.

The company has repeatedly stated that the mast would not be used by a mobile phone company and insists that it was designed only to assist communications between drivers and signalling staff.