THE “VAST majority” of trees on land belonging to jailed Co Offaly woman Teresa Treacy have been cut, the ESB and EirGrid said yesterday.

The companies claimed they were involved in “positive discussions” with Ms Treacy’s family over the past week and “progress was made towards a resolution”.

Ms Treacy (65) of Woodfield House, Clonmore, Tullamore, was jailed for failing to comply with court orders permitting EirGrid and the ESB to run a power line with pylons through her property.

Ms Treacy refused to purge her contempt and was taken to the Dóchas Centre at Mountjoy Prison on September 13th.

The companies claim that the presence of protesters is delaying Ms Treacy’s release. Protests saw cutting stopped on Tuesday for health and safety reasons and it has not resumed since.

An estimated 80 per cent of trees have been cut, leaving just 1.5 days of cutting, an ESB spokesman said. A further five to six weeks of works would be needed on the site once the trees are cut, he added.

A spokesman for the protesters said they were setting up a camp and they had Ms Treacy’s permission to enter her property.

Protesters posted a phone conversation online claiming to be with Ms Treacy on Monday saying she is not purging contempt and wants people to protect her trees.