Rejection of mobile phone antenna a landmark decision - TD

An Bord Pleanála's ruling against a mobile phone antenna in Mountrath, Co Laois, has nationwide implications, a local TD has said. Mr Seán Fleming said Laois County Council would restart its legal action against Esat Digifone unless an antenna attached to the chimney of a building at Main Street, Mountrath, was removed within three weeks.

This follows An Bord Pleanála's recent judgment that placing antennae for a GSM base station on the building was not exempt from planning permission.

"This is a landmark decision by An Bord Pleanála which has nationwide implications. The mobile phone companies will have to reassess how they go about their business. They must be more careful in their actions in future," Mr Fleming said.

The Mountrath Safety Awareness Group, which protested against the antennae, has also welcomed the judgment. Its chairwoman, Ms Margaret Keegan, said she hoped the ruling spelled the end of telecommunications companies erecting structures without consultation with local communities.

"We are not against mobile phone technology itself but want a precautionary approach," she said.

The senior executive officer in Laois County Council's planning department, Mr Ian McCormack, explained the council initiated legal proceedings against Esat Digifone and the owner of the building to which the antennae were attached in May 2001. The proceedings were put on hold after An Bord Pleanála was asked to determine whether the structure attached to the chimney was an "exempted development".

"We welcome the ruling in our favour and we will be pursuing the developer and owner of the building unless the antennae are removed," Mr McCormack said.

Meanwhile, Esat Digifone said the structure was erected to counter the lack of effective mobile phone coverage in Mountrath and the surrounding area. A spokesman, Mr Oliver Coughlan, confirmed Esat Digifone had received a letter from the county council giving the company 21 days to "decommission" the site. He said the company was currently taking advice on the matter.

"We will decide whether or not to try to retain the structure in situ or go for a brand new solution," he said. "We will endeavour to provide our customers with the service they require in their area."

Meanwhile, at a meeting of Longford County Council last week, it emerged that four mobile telephone companies were seeking to erect 12 masts throughout the county. Offaly County Council has "five or six" applications before it, according to a spokeswoman. Cavan County Council has three, while Westmeath has two.