Public meeting in the Mill House in Slane at 7.00pm this evening (May 3), to discuss Council’s decision
Battle lines are being drawn by environmental campaigners in the Boyne Valley after the bombshell decision by Meath County Council to grant planning permission to Dawn Meats to construct a 7.2km pipeline from which it will discharge hundreds of thousands of litres of wastewater daily into the River Boyne.
There was widespread shock and disbelief among locals as news of the hugely controversial decision became known over the bank holiday weekend. People in communities up and down the river wondered how such a plan could even be considered in such a scenic and historic area.
It is utterly inconceivable to right thinking people that an abattoir could be allowed anywhere near a major river such as the Boyne let alone to pump waste material into it.
Others point out that this decision comes at a time when the river is finally recovering from outmoded habits going back hundreds of years which saw wildlife suffer enormously. The famous Boyne salmon are returning in numbers to the river and the greenway that will undoubtedly attract more tourists to the area is beginning to take shape.
The organisers of the Save the Boyne protest campaign which gathered almost 7,000 signatures to a petition against the Dawn Meats proposal, have vowed to continue their struggle however.
They are holding a public meeting in the Mill House in Slane at 7.00pm this evening (May 3), to discuss Meath County Council’s decision and where the campaign goes from here.
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In a statement issued by their PR company, Dawn Meats said:
“The planning application process for this multi-million Euro investment in waste water treatment is ongoing.
“We believe it will have a positive impact through the removal of tanker traffic from local roads, and third-party studies, including a Natura Impact Statement, have assessed no negative impact on the river Boyne or surrounding habitats.
“Our site in Slane is fully licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency, who we engage with regularly, and the new equipment will clean waste water to international best practice standards.”
Save the Boyne spokesperson Tommy Martin was less than impressed with the Company’s statement however.
“What is now proposed is that this generation will pass down a wastepipe. Is this to be our legacy?” he asked.
“… We are told that this proposal will not impact on the bio diversity or the environment. That the people, the business and the wildlife along the river will not be impacted as the effluent is treated to best international practice.
“It only takes one error, one thing to go wrong” he warned.
“Dawn Meats also state that it will have a positive impact on the environment as trucks transporting the waste will no longer be needed… surely if production increases so will traffic to and from the plant increase?
The real point and the real feelings objecting to this proposal is not what best international practice is, it is that the Boyne Valley and its environs belong to the people, the bio diversity the wildlife.
“We have a moral and civic duty to oppose this proposal. I appeal to Dawn Meats to withdraw their application.”
For more information see the Save The Boyne Facebook page
