A Laois County Councillor has hit out at Electric Picnic’s announcement that they will hold the 2024 event in mid-August.
Fianna Fail Councillor Paschal McEvoy says that he will not support such a move.
Citing concerns for the farming community, Cllr McEvoy says he will be making his views known when the licence application comes before the Council.
He said: “I will not be supporting a change of date.
“I think it is totally unacceptable that Festival Republic think they can move dates without any consultation with the local organisations especially the farming community who will be at their busiest with the harvest.
“I will be asking Laois County Council planning section to consider this when Licence is applied for.”
Local farmer Bobby Miller, speaking to the Irish Farmer’s Journal, says that the earlier Picnic would be held ‘at peak harvesting time’.
He said: “We’re scratching our heads big time as to why they changed the dates without consulting any farmers in the area.
“We are fully in favour of Electric Pienie we have supported it from day on but this is going to cause huge issues for us.
“There’s a higher volume of traffic in the village that time of year anyway and straw is on the move too.
“Not only is it a health and safety concern and a disturbance to you also have the fear of accidental fires.”
Speaking about the move, promoter Melvin Benn maintained it had nothing to do with Coldplay in Croke Park at the traditional Electric Picnic weekend.
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