Waste, explosives and former miners

national | environment | news report Tuesday August 26, 2008 14:17 by Contaminated Crow

This week's news from the local papers

Roscommon County Council granted permission on 11th August to Barna Waste Ltd. to develop a waste transfer centre at Aghalustia, Ballaghadareen, which has been opposed by the Ballaghadareen Environmental Action Group (BEAG) since it was announced in February. A spokesperson for BEAG, announcing a meeting for Monday 18th August to discuss strategy, said ‘Residents have suffered for more than 20 years as a result of ongoing odour and other problems associated with the landfill facility. Ballaghadareen has three waste facilities and the fear now is that it will become the waste capital of Connaught.’ (Source: Roscommon Herald 19/8/08, p. 1)

An Bord Pleanala (ABP) has announced an oral hearing into an application by Shannon Explosives (owned by the Whelan group) to build a 10 million Euro explosives factory at Cahercon, Co. Clare in the latest twist to a dispute which began nine years ago when plans were first lodged. The ABP hearing will attend to appeals against Clare County Council’s granting of permission to Shannon Explosives last March. Among those appealing are Cairde Chill an Disirt Teo, the Kildysart Explosives Opposition Group and An Taisce. (Source: Clare People 19/8/08, p.3)

The Ballinasloe Environmental Alliance (BEA) held a meeting last Thursday (21st August) to intensify its campaign of opposition to a proposal by OneBio Ltd. (a subsidiary of the parent company of Premier Proteins) to set up a sludge drying plant next to the Premier Proteins meat rendering plant at Poolboy, which is intended to accept 30,000 tonnes per annum of wet sludge from waste treatment plants, as well as an unspecified amount of sludge from private industry. Locals are concerned over possible odour pollution and potential pollution of the river Suck, which is 200 metres from the site, especially given existing Premier Proteins operations which have resulted in a huge number of complainst over odour pollution and led the EPA to bring the company to the local district court next month over licence breaches, including pollution of the river. BEA Secretary Anita Killeen told the meeting ‘We have suffered for years at the hands of Premier Proteins and there has to come a time when the people of Ballinasloe stand up and say they have had enough.’ (Source Connacht Tribune 22/8/08, p. 6)

A group of developers who received planning permission earlier this year from Clare County Council to develop 96 houses in Lahinch, despite local opposition, have withdrawn their appeal to ABP against a clause in the permission requiring all the houses should be used as permanent dwellings instead of as holiday homes. The withdrawal may have been related to a recent ABP decision on an appeal against a permanent residency clause where the ABP inspector recommended the entire development be refused planning permission. (Source: Clare People 19/8/08, p.14)

ABP has turned down a request from the North East Against Incineration (NEAI) group to postpone an oral hearing due to begin August 26th against a meat and bone meal incinerator proposed by College Proteins for Nobber, Co. Meath, which has been accepted by ABP under the Special Infrastructure Development Scheme. NEAI called for a two month postponement, claiming that some people who had made submissions were not informed of the hearing, while neighbouring local authorities were invited to make submissions only on July 28th, which prevented neighbouring councils from making submissions as no council meetings take place in August. (Source: Meath Chronicle 23/8/08, p. 3)

Irish Asphalt has withdrawn its planning appeal for continuation of quarrying from a site in Ruan, Co. Clare days before a decision was due. The application faced extensive local objections, with one objector describing the 18.4 hectare site as an unauthorized quarry and claiming that one-third of the site was stripped in preparation for quarrying without benefit of planning permission. (Source: Clare Champion 22/8/08, p. 11)

Three former miners at the Deerpark Mine in Kilkenny took part in a meeting with former miners from Arigna, Co. Leitrim and Slieveardagh, Ballinderry, Co. Tipperary in Portlaoise on August 16th leading to the formation of the National Miners Group which aims to obtain justice for miners in the former coal mining industry who suffered injury, infirmity or disablement due to working in the mines. Ex-miner Seamus Walsh said ‘The miners’ struggle is still on! It’s nearly 40 years since the Deerpark Mine closed down, but the miners still are looking for their basic rights. They are seeking compensation for the lung disease that was picked up in the mines all those years ago.’ (Source: Kilkenny People 22/8/08, p. 10)