Top trainer fights incinerator plan

ONE of the country's top racehorse trainers believes plans to build a huge incinerator outside a rural village would devastate the equine industry.

Noel Meade -- a man well-known for his success in Irish racing -- is worried about the impact on prize thoroughbreds of burning up to 105,000 tonnes of waste every year .

Mr Meade has expressed concerns about the effect of emissions on animals he trains if plans by College Proteins to build an incinerator outside Nobber, Co Meath, get the green light.

The champion trainer -- along with other key members of the Irish equine sector -- are mounting a strong lobby against the proposal. They are hoping to replicate the success of horse trainer Aidan O'Brien, who vehemently opposed an incinerator in Co Tipperary last year.

In July 2008, Mr O'Brien's campaign paid off when An Bord Pleanala ruled against a waste incinerator near his Ballydoyle stable and Coolmore stud.

Speaking to the Irish Independent yesterday, Noel Meade said an incinerator in Co Meath would make no sense.

"If it wasn't good enough to be done in Tipperary, I don't see how it can be done in Nobber."

Application

The third week of An Bord Pleanala's oral hearing into the application by College Proteins gets under way in Carrickmacross today.

Earlier, the oral hearing into the application heard from College Proteins ceo John Gilroy. Mr Gilroy had contested statements that the company was unable to manage the current plant. The company currently processes animal by-products and generates 37,500 tonnes of meat and bone meal (MBM) annually. It wants to develop its plant as it believes this will ensure its long-term viability.

The company previously stated MBM would be carried in sealed containers with appropriate certification verified by the Department of Agriculture. It also stated that "fly ash" -- a by-product from incineration -- would be contained in the correct tankers.

Eimear Ni Bhraonain

Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie

Missing planning files on Meath incinerator project discovered

BOXES OF planning files which had gone missing from Meath County Council have been located.

Gardaí in Navan had been asked last month to investigate the disappearance of the files which related to an incinerator being built in the county.

However, the seven boxes have now been found. It appears they had been with a firm contracted to scan documents on to computer records.

A council spokesman yesterday confirmed the files had been “recovered from a firm subcontracted to provide data back-up services. This company had inadvertently stored the file together with records from another planning authority.”

When the company realised it had the files, it contacted the council. In response to the incident, the council spokesman said: “The council is examining its internal controls and has directed that the subcontractor bring forward proposals to ensure that such an incident does not recur.”

However, Fine Gael TD Shane McEntee is not happy that the files were removed from the council’s offices.

“The fact is these files were taken out of the building and they should now be put on public display. They relate to an incinerator which has now been built and the public have a right to inspect the files to ensure that everything is being complied with,” he said.

The council has previously dismissed any suggestions that the incinerator, being constructed by Indaver Ireland, is in the wrong part of the site. It says it has inspected the site and “is satisfied that the current development at Carranstown is being constructed in accordance with the planning permission applied for”.

It has also said the files are available for public inspection.

Irish Times

www.buckplanning.ie