Search
18 Mar 2026
Search
18 Mar 2026
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Objections to the proposal included a submission from local man Frank Beirne, who highlighted what he described as gaps in the application
A decision has been made to grant permission to Ion Renewables Ltd for the construction of a stationary battery energy storage facility on a site next to the Richmond 110kV electrical substation in Ballykenny, Cloondara.
The site in question is owned by Mr David McCann.
The director of Ion Renewables is listed on the planning application as John Ward whose registered company address is 16 The Seapoint Building 44-45 Clontarf Road Dublin 3.
The proposed facility will include eighteen 20ft containers with 5 medium voltage transformers, and the construction of a single storey sub-station building along with a GRP kiosk and acoustic fence in addition to all associated development works.
Objections to the proposal included a submission from local man Frank Beirne, who highlighted what he described as gaps in the application, including a technical form question that had been marked ‘yes’ without listing reasons as requested on the form.
He also pointed out that distances from the proposed battery facility to nearby homes had not been provided and he raised concerns that no planning permission appeared to exist for the site entrance.
In granting the application, Longford County Council attached 10 conditions which covered interests relating to road safety, visual amenity, environmental protection, proper planning, and the preservation of the archaeological heritage of the area.
The conditions stated that the applicant, Ion Renewables, is permitted to carry out site development and building work between the hours of 7am to 7pm, Mondays to Fridays, and between 8am to 2pm on Saturdays.
READ NEXT: PICTURES | Downpours fail to dampen celebratory St Patrick's Day enthusiasm in Lanesboro
Work is not permitted to take place on Sundays or public holidays.
Also within the conditions is the stipulation that all structures authorised “shall be removed when they become obsolete and require decommissioning, and the site re-instated.”
Those who wish to challenge the council’s decision have until Tuesday April 7 to lodge their appeal with An Coimisiún Pleanála.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
