A national sporting organisation has criticised a plan by the ESB to build a wind farm at Mount Leinster on the Carlow-Wexford border.
The ten wind turbines are planned for the site in the Blackstairs mountains but Philip O'Toole of the Irish Handgliding and Paragliding Association said the location of at least two of the turbines should be reconsidered as they would prevent gliders from using the area.
Gliders from around the country use the mountains at least 30 times a year and an international handgliding competition is to be held in the area next month.
The windfarm will be capable of generating enough power to supply the electricity needs of well over 20,000 homes in County Carlow.
The turbines proposed are approximately 70 metres tall with 40 metre blades and the windfarm will take up 1% of the land on the site.
Deputy Green Party Leader and local councillor, Mary White, said that while she backs the use of windfarms, the proposed site is within a special conservation area and the siting of them needs to be monitored.
A decision on planning permission is due in the next number of weeks.
