A call has been made for the Government to intervene in the debate on phone masts following a decision by An Bord Pleanala to allow Meteor Mobile Phones to erect a mast on the ESB station in Blackrock, Co Dublin, near two schools.
Former Minister Cllr Niamh Breathnach (Lab) said the community at Newtown, Blackrock, is "stunned" at the permission granted to site the mast beside Newpark school and Guardian Angels school, despite protests. Ms Breathnach said the board had shown regard to the "Government's national strategy seeking improvement of mobile communications services".
Other countries had begun to adopt the "precautionary principle", she said. "Without a stated change of Government policy about siting masts in the vicinity of school premises, the board will continue to grant these permissions. Only the Government can change the board's perspective. Now is the time."
