Navan Road council hears opposition to Huawei antennae

The Navan Road Community Council (NRCC) discussed the retention of Huawei 5G antennae on the roof of the Navan Road Scouts building. 

The retention of the antennae, installed by Eir, was one of the main issues discussed at the council’s March monthly meeting.  

A petition has been circulating in the area telling residents to object to the retention of these antennae.  

A list outlining grounds for raising objections was circulated at the meeting.

One item states: “The Huawei 5G RAN Antenna, illegally erected on the Scout’s Hall, have been restricted/banned by the European Commission, 11 EU Member States, UK, USA, and Australia due to being from a High-Risk Vendor (HRV) and posing unmanageable/unmitigable national systemic cybersecurity risks.”  

Huawei’s controversial ‘high risk’ status is based mainly on its alleged connection to the Chinese government and recent political scandals. Most EU countries have the capacity to restrict the rollout of the company’s equipment but most have been slow to do so.

“It comes down to three simple rights: right equipment, right location, right consent,” Declan Gilligan, a supporter of the petition and expert in cybersecurity, said, adding that Dublin City Council had told Eir that it did not have permission for the equipment.  

Eir has submitted a retention application for the antennae, and Gilligan urged local residents to object to their retention.  

Gilligan urged residents not to “make an objection based on health grounds” and instead to make one on planning grounds. 

Another resident said, “We can’t say they definitely have health impacts, but there’s something to be concerned about.” 

Fine Gael City Councillor Colm O’Rourke told the meeting that while councillors were not in a position to decide on the application, “I’m happy to put something in on behalf of the residents.”