Imelda Munster TD for Louth and Meath East has lodged an objection to a proposed 7.2 km waste pipe going from the Dawn Meats plant to the Boyne River where it would discharge 400,000 litres of waste on a daily basis.
Teachta Munster said “I, along with my two colleagues Cllrs Tom Cunningham and Joanna Byrne, have submitted quite a detailed objection and would encourage others in Louth and East Meath to do likewise.
“Remember, we get our drinking water from the Boyne and the Staleen Water Treatment Plant in Donore is already almost at capacity without having to deal with additional pollutants and that is before taking into account any ‘accidents’ that could occur with this meat factory.
“One of our biggest concerns is OLOL Hospital who are reliant on the River Boyne for their water. It doesn’t bear thinking about for a large regional hospital to be without water or to have their water contaminated.”
“The Sinn Féin team in Drogheda have submitted the objection on several grounds:
- the threat to the quality of our drinking water,
- to the young Atlantic Salmon which are already designated as a ‘vulnerable species’,
- the effect on vegetation,
- on the fragile bio diversity of the area,
- on our award winning beaches in South Louth and East Meath
- the effect odours will have on the business community and citizens in Drogheda and its environs.
“We have also posed many pertinent questions that need to be answered regarding processes and adherence to national and European directives of which, in our opinion, this waste pipe would be in contravention” Deputy Munster said.
All objections/submissions must be in before 8th April. Sinn Féin is holding an information evening on Facebook on Friday evening at 7.30pm.
