A Ballinasloe area councillor has welcomed the High Court's decision to grant permission to a group of County Galway residents to challenge the Galway County Council’s decision to issue a waste facility permit at a facility close to their homes.
Cllr Dermot Connolly said Tuesday's decision by the court was a pleasing one for the campaigning residents and councillors who have supported the residents' concerns.
Cllr Dermot Connolly said; "The decision taken by the High Court [on the waste facility permit at PoolBoy] is a welcome one. The local residents who are campaigning against this waste facility have real legitimate concerns which will now be hopefully addressed. Councillors from the Ballinasloe area and myself have been in support of residents from day one of their campaign.
"I must commend the residents who have taken this stance. They have really dug in deep and are ready for the fight ahead and I will be supporting them all the way until its conclusion."
The decision taken by the court on Tuesday was on an action brought by the 'Ballinasloe Says No’ campaign which opposes the local authority's decision to grant a permit allowing Sean Curran of Barna Waste to operate a waste facility at Pollboy.
The group claims that the permit was granted by the council without an appropriate assessment (under the EU Habitats Directive ) of the proposed facility being carried out, therefore the council failed to consider the possible adverse consequences it would have on a nearby special area of preservation - the River Suck Callows site.
It is also alleged by the group that the operator of the facility which is located on a 1.25-hectare site south of Ballinasloe on the floodplain of the River Suck, intends to carry out activities that would include disposing of inert waste and recycling of inorganic materials and waste storage.
The 'Ballinasloe Says No' group and the Galway County Council were both unavailable for comment.
