http://newstalk.ie/newstalk/index.html
Wednesday December 10th
2008.
Interview by Claire Byrne of the
national radio station “Newstalk 106-108 FM” with Michael
Healy-Rae, a Kerry County Councillor from the Killorglin Electoral
Area of South Kerry following Pierce Brosnan's submission to Kerry
County Council on the proposed LNG regasification terminal at Tarbert
in North Kerry.
Here follows an exact transcript of
that interview:
Presenter (Claire Byrne ): It's not
often that a Kerryman feels compelled to take on James Bond but
today, Kerry county councillor Michael Healy-Rae has squared up to
Pierce Brosnan and he joins us now. Michael, good morning to you.
Michael Healy-Rae: Good morning Claire
.
Claire Byrne: This is all about this
liquefied natural gas terminal alongside Tarbert on the Shannon
Estuary. Pierce Brosnan has decided to lodge an objection with Kerry
County Council. You think he should butt out I understand.
Michael Healy-Rae: Well, to be honest,
I'd prefer to see him stick with the acting and the singing and leave
the politics and the bringing of jobs and much needed money to our
region to ourselves because the local councillors, hard-working
councillors like John Brassil, Liam Purtill and Dan Kiely - they're
very supportive of this project as is 95% of the local population.
The two local development associations in Tarbert and Ballylongford
are supportive of it. We're taking about a project that would bring
in a 50 million euro construction cost, 400 jobs during construction
,50 to 100 full time jobs.
Claire Byrne: To what long-term costs
though? Because Pierce Brosnan who does consider himself along with
his wife to be an environmental activist, indeed he has objected to
a similar proposal in California where he lives. But he says there
has been no coherent assessment of the serious and significant risks
to public health.
Michael Healy-Rae: Well obviously he
doesn't know what he is talking about. Because..
Claire Byrne: But have you done that.
Has there been..
Michael Healy-Rae: Oh, 100%. This
project has been more scrutinised and gone through more rigorous
checks than any other project that I have ever known of; both by
Kerry County Council, Bord Pleanala, Bord Pleanala, the safety
authorities involved. This has been been checked and checked and has
complied but 100% with the most rigorous of conditions. And really,
when you think about this, California is an awful long way from
Tarbert. I'd listen more 100% to the local development associations
and the local politicians, than I would to a man, with all due
respect – it's fine for him to be over in California lying in the
sunshine singing his songs and leaving the people of Tarbert and that
region without any employment. I think it's really high-handed and
it's the biggest joke that I have ever heard of. Because if it is
good enough for the locals and if they want it and the local
politicians why should a man 6 or 7 thousand miles away see fit to
stick his nose into our business?
Claire Byrne: But Michael, do you think
that because Pierce Brosnan was once James Bond that he will be
listened to perhaps more so than you might be?
Michael Healy-Rae: Well, I'll put it
to you this way. If he wants to come over here and run for local
politics and get involved in that way, let him come away and let him
see how he'll get on. But I respect everyone's opinion, but it is the
local people who should really be listened to. And if 95% of the
locals, of the Tarbert and Ballylongford area are supporting this
it'd be crazy to go taking notice of this individual who I admire for
his own work by the way. But these type of activities ...
You have people like this you see who
want to sort of have something to do for themselves and they have
it like a hobby horse and they'll roam around the world objecting
willy, nilly here and there to projects like this. But I mean
Claire Byrne: But do you think...
Michael Healy-Rae: But I mean we have
families who need employment and this is a massive boost to our
region if it can go ahead.
Claire Byrne: He has written Michael to
Kerry County Council. That means, I would imagine, that you have the
right to respond to him directly, being a member of Kerry County
Council. Is that something you are going to do? Will you be writing
to him in California?
Michael Healy-Rae: Every, Of course,
Well I have no problem in the world letting the man know of my views
because anybody who has stuck their noses into our affairs in the
county before, I am not one bit backward about going forward. And
really this opens up the whole can of worms that is it right and is
it proper for people who are not affected directly or who are not
living in a locality should they indeed have the right to object at
all?
Claire Byrne: Well, he is well within
his rights in doing it. I mean that's..
Michael Healy-Rae: I know that But
what I am saying is: Is that policy right? It's like a person living
in Galway objecting to a house in Clare. That's crazy. It should
only be people directly involved or directly affected who should
have an input into that type of thing. Because they are the people
who know best, what's best for the region.
Claire Byrne: So are you, are you ....
Michael Healy-Rae: Who better to
protect the countryside than the people who are born and reared
there?
Claire Byrne: Are you telling us then
that you are going to be contacting Pierce Brosnan directly to have a
chat with him about this objection?
Michael Healy-Rae: Well, I'll put it to
you this way. If he wants to talk to me about it, I'll talk to him
about it. Because why should he come along and go interfering in
something that, to be honest, he knows very little about? When was
the last time he was in Tarbert?
Claire Byrne: Well, I am not sure. But
perhaps we can check that out.
Michael Healy-Rae: Yes, or does he know
the local hard-working councillors who are supporting this? Who have
worked in local politics all of their lives? John Brassil, Liam
Purtill and Dan Kiely, highly respected, well held individuals in the
locality and is he trying to tell me just because he is Pierce
Brosnan that he knows more than those locals? Not at all. Not...
Claire Byrne: Michael Healy Rae, thank
you indeed for joining us this morning.
Michael Healy-Rae: Thank you.
Claire Byrne: Michael. Healy Rae from
Kerry County Council. Squaring up, it has to be said, to Pierce
Brosnan. Perhaps the two will meet at some stage and we'll get to
figure out how that's going to play out.
Ger Gilroy: Fight, fight, fight.
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