Oral hearing denied for Boyne waste water pipe appeal

A group protesting against plans for an industrial pipeline to discharge waste water from a meat plant into the River Boyne has hit out at An Bord Pleanala's decision not to hold oral hearing on the matter.

The ‘Save the Boyne’ group was set up in response to planning permission sought by Dawn Meats to install a 7.2 kilometre pipeline to pump 400,000 litres of treated waste water daily into the River Boyne at the Cotton Mills.

Last year Meath County Council granted permission for the pipeline, a decision that drew huge opposition locally with more than 400 submissions made on the plans and appeal to an Bord Pleanála on going.

Around two hundred people braved the elements walking from Navan to Drogheda on a very wet day last month on the group's ‘Go with the Flow’ walk to raise awareness of the ongoing appeal to an Bord Pleanála.

In a written response to a request for an oral hearing on the matter, An An Bord Pleanála said it believes it has enough information in the submissions and observations to continue the decision making process.

Tommy Martin Mc Larnon, a spokesperson Save the Boyne group has called on the planning body to reverse the decision. He said:

"To dismiss the request for appeal on grounds cited by ABP is not only insulting to the many hundreds of households who placed objections with Meath County Council but also to those who have rallied behind the Save the Boyne Group and have made their views and voices heard on the streets, social media and the riverbanks.

"ABP states that it is at their discretion whether or not to hold an oral hearing. Those who made submissions were charged 50 euro for this request each.

"What ABP do not understand is that not only is this an issue of local and national importance which could have an impact for generations to come, it is an issue of transparency. ABP need to understand that the decision making process and the evidence needs to be aired in public.

"More importantly it will allow scrutiny by the public, environmentalists, politicians and those whose lives may be impacted by the decision.

Mc Larnon contiuned saying that there are many aspects of the campaign against the Dawn Meats proposal which cannot be conveyed in submissions or observations. He added:

"An oral hearing would have permitted those who know and understand the River Boyne to have their voices heard. Locals and river users can see the change in the water levels over the past few weeks, particularly below the proposed discharge point.

The people of Louth – Meath have been poorly served by the planning Department in MCC to allow this to go forward. Again the people of Louth – Meath have been denied transparency and an opportunity to make their views known.

Save The Boyne requests that ABP reverse its decision and allow for disclosure in a public forum. What have they to lose or more importantly what do they fear?"

An Bord Pleanala has been contacted for comment