Hundreds of people gathered in the ballroom of the Hotel Minella in Clonmel yesterday for the opening day of An Bord Pleanála's oral hearing about a keenly-contested plan to build a waste treatment plant in the south Tipperary countryside.
Planning inspector Derek Daly said the hearing could last for two weeks. A joint-venture company, Green Organics Energy Limited (GOE), is hoping to build a facility to process animal by-products from meat-processing factories and other biodegradable waste and to create "green" electricity and bio-diesel.
The site in the village of Rosegreen, is close to both Coolmore Stud and Ballydoyle stables and has attracted considerable local opposition. The opening session was attended by Tipperary TDs including Fianna Fáil's Dr Martin Mansergh and Mattie McGrath, Fine Gael's Tom Hayes and Independent, Michael Lowry - as well as local councillors - who have all publicly expressed opposition to the plan.
South Tipperary County Council has already refused planning permission for the project but the company has appealed to An Bord Pleanála. Coolmore Stud and other local businesses as well as residents have also lodged appeals hoping to persuade the board to uphold the council's decision.
Yesterday's formal proceedings began with a detailed submission from GOE, whose legal team is led by former attorney-general Rory Brady SC, who introduced the company's panel of expert witnesses.
The project's manager, Paul Barrett, claimed that the proposed facility would help to "maintain Ireland's green image" by using EU and government-approved technology to process animal by-products and "brown bin" kitchen waste.
He said the project would help to reduce greenhouse gasses and provide a solution to the Irish meat-processing industry which is currently engaged in the "unsustainable" practice of exporting its waste for incineration.
Mr Barrett said the bio energy facility would process 250,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste a year, including 30 per cent of all the animal by-products and slaughterhouse waste produced in Ireland. Dr Martin Hogan, a Cork-based health consultant retained by the company, rejected allegations that the facility would be harmful to human health. He said: "Let me state as a doctor that if it were shown that this project could really damage human health, I too would be an objector."
He claimed that the technology to be used in the plant is safe and effective and supported by organisations such as the EU and Friends of the Earth.
Michael Cunningham, managing director of environmental consultancy White, Young, Green, said a detailed assessment of the impact of the proposed development on the equine industry and Ballydoyle was undertaken and concluded that there would be no impact. The hearing continues today.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label waste treatment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label waste treatment. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Bio plant would 'spell the end' for famous stables
HORSETRAINER Aidan O'Brien has claimed his world-famous Ballydoyle stables will cease to operate if a multi-million euro waste treatment plant is built beside it.
Mr O'Brien was speaking at the opening of a Bord Pleanala hearing into plans to build an animal-waste bio-energy plant, which would process 215,000 tonnes of waste containing potentially BSE-infected material.
"There's no doubt it would be the end of Ballydoyle," said Mr O'Brien. "This would be a disaster for us, the two things cannot work together.
"We train elite equine athletes at Ballydoyle so obviously air quality and surroundings are vital."
Mr O'Brien's wife Anne-Marie, who also attended yesterday's hearings in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, said she would "be appalled" at the thought of the plant getting the green light.
The proposal has met with stern opposition from big guns John Magnier, who owns Coolmore Stud, and also from many local residents.
Consultants for Green Organic Energy (GOE), the company behind the proposal at Castleblake, Rosegreen, Co Tipperary, opened yesterday's hearings, which are expected to end late next week.
South Tipperary County Council refused GOE permission to build the plant last August on environmental grounds.
Paul Barrett, project manager behind the plant, outlined GOE's plans to build both a bio-gas plant and a separate bio-diesel plant, including ancillary works on the site 15-hectare site.
He said the bio-gas plant would process 215,000-tonnes of by-product from the meat industry per year and would in turn contribute 15-megawatts of electricity to the national grid.
GOE is made up from three companies -- Dawn Meats, Bioverda -- a subsidiary of NTR (National Toll Roads) -- and Avglade, who between them control 30pc of all animal by-product produced in the State.
At present, 80pc of Irish produced animal by-product is exported for incineration.
Mr Barrett told the hearing that the plant would create "no odour issues" and that there would be no "process water discharge" to local water sources. He also stressed that the plant meets all required emission standards.
Health
Dr Martin Hogan, an environmental and human health consultant said there would be no hazardous waste entering the plant.
He claimed the potential for human health impacts from the proposed facility would be "negligible".
GOE's Mr Barrett went on to claim that the plant would serve to "reduce Ireland's green-house gas emissions and produce a constant supply to the energy grid."
Witnesses for GOE are to continue to deliver evidence today with representations from Coolmore, Ballydoyle and local interests to follow.
Star trainer Aidan O'Brien remained unconvinced that the plant would prove harmless to the local environment and to the local horse-training industry.
"It would be a great disaster after the huge investments made in Ballydoyle and the equine industry in the area over the years. The two industries couldn't work together," he said.
Dara deFaoite
www.buckplanning.ie
Mr O'Brien was speaking at the opening of a Bord Pleanala hearing into plans to build an animal-waste bio-energy plant, which would process 215,000 tonnes of waste containing potentially BSE-infected material.
"There's no doubt it would be the end of Ballydoyle," said Mr O'Brien. "This would be a disaster for us, the two things cannot work together.
"We train elite equine athletes at Ballydoyle so obviously air quality and surroundings are vital."
Mr O'Brien's wife Anne-Marie, who also attended yesterday's hearings in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, said she would "be appalled" at the thought of the plant getting the green light.
The proposal has met with stern opposition from big guns John Magnier, who owns Coolmore Stud, and also from many local residents.
Consultants for Green Organic Energy (GOE), the company behind the proposal at Castleblake, Rosegreen, Co Tipperary, opened yesterday's hearings, which are expected to end late next week.
South Tipperary County Council refused GOE permission to build the plant last August on environmental grounds.
Paul Barrett, project manager behind the plant, outlined GOE's plans to build both a bio-gas plant and a separate bio-diesel plant, including ancillary works on the site 15-hectare site.
He said the bio-gas plant would process 215,000-tonnes of by-product from the meat industry per year and would in turn contribute 15-megawatts of electricity to the national grid.
GOE is made up from three companies -- Dawn Meats, Bioverda -- a subsidiary of NTR (National Toll Roads) -- and Avglade, who between them control 30pc of all animal by-product produced in the State.
At present, 80pc of Irish produced animal by-product is exported for incineration.
Mr Barrett told the hearing that the plant would create "no odour issues" and that there would be no "process water discharge" to local water sources. He also stressed that the plant meets all required emission standards.
Health
Dr Martin Hogan, an environmental and human health consultant said there would be no hazardous waste entering the plant.
He claimed the potential for human health impacts from the proposed facility would be "negligible".
GOE's Mr Barrett went on to claim that the plant would serve to "reduce Ireland's green-house gas emissions and produce a constant supply to the energy grid."
Witnesses for GOE are to continue to deliver evidence today with representations from Coolmore, Ballydoyle and local interests to follow.
Star trainer Aidan O'Brien remained unconvinced that the plant would prove harmless to the local environment and to the local horse-training industry.
"It would be a great disaster after the huge investments made in Ballydoyle and the equine industry in the area over the years. The two industries couldn't work together," he said.
Dara deFaoite
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 18 November 2007
Go-ahead for expansion of Leixlip Water Treatment Plant
Mr. John Gormley T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has announced that he has given the go-ahead to Fingal County Council to invite tenders for an expansion of the Council's Water Treatment Plant located on the Liffey in Leixlip.
The €43m scheme is being funded by the Minister under his Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009.
As well as providing drinking water supplies for the Fingal area, the Leixlip plant also serves North-East Kildare, parts of South Meath and the north side of Dublin City. The plant has undergone significant upgrading and upsizing over time to respond to extra demand resulting from population growth and economic development in the Greater Dublin Area.
"This latest expansion will raise production from 148 to 215 million litres per day" - the Minister said - "and will help to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet additional medium-term drinking water requirements in the Dublin and Fingal areas."
The Minister confirmed that this latest approval meant that the way was now clear for Fingal County Council - "to award the contract and to proceed with the work as soon as the tender process has been completed".
Minister Gormley added that the approval of funding for the scheme reflected the commitment in the Programme for Government that - "all our public drinking water supplies will deliver a reliable service that is 100% compliant with drinking water standards".
www.buckplanning.ie
The €43m scheme is being funded by the Minister under his Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009.
As well as providing drinking water supplies for the Fingal area, the Leixlip plant also serves North-East Kildare, parts of South Meath and the north side of Dublin City. The plant has undergone significant upgrading and upsizing over time to respond to extra demand resulting from population growth and economic development in the Greater Dublin Area.
"This latest expansion will raise production from 148 to 215 million litres per day" - the Minister said - "and will help to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet additional medium-term drinking water requirements in the Dublin and Fingal areas."
The Minister confirmed that this latest approval meant that the way was now clear for Fingal County Council - "to award the contract and to proceed with the work as soon as the tender process has been completed".
Minister Gormley added that the approval of funding for the scheme reflected the commitment in the Programme for Government that - "all our public drinking water supplies will deliver a reliable service that is 100% compliant with drinking water standards".
www.buckplanning.ie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)