Plans by the largest employer in Kilbeggan to increase its workforce with up to 70 new jobs were put on indefinite hold this week after the county council failed to vote a re-zoning measure to accommodate the expansion plans of the Dunbia meat-packing plant at the July meeting in Mullingar on Monday afternoon.
The Tyrone-based agri-business had applied earlier this year to more than double the size of its Clara Road plant in a €12 million development, but required an amendment to Westmeath’s county development plan - called a material contravention - to change the zoning of the land adjacent to its 10-year-old plant from commercial to industrial.
However, despite county manager Danny McLoughlin recommending the amendment to the 23 councillors as “a development that will benefit the local economy”, and assuring them that the contravention under discussion was “only technical”, the local concerns that saw over 500 submissions arrive in the planning department was enough to persuade seven councillors to vote against the plan.
With a two-thirds (17 ) rather than a simple majority (12 ) required to pass such a contravention, the motion was defeated by the narrowest margin.
Half the Mullingar East, Athlone, and Kilbeggan electoral areas voted against the motion, with all the rest voting for it. This vote against comprised Cllrs Denis Leonard, Peter Burke, Gabrielle McFadden, Joe Whelan, Boxer Moran, Gerry Corcoran, and Joe Flanagan.
Curiously, this sees the Dunbia plan blown from the water before it received either planning permission, an Environmental Protection Agency licence, or even faced the rigours of an appeal to An Bord Pleanala.
Outside what was an emotional though well managed meeting, there were at least 50 pro- and anti-demonstrators, while the chamber itself was attended by management representatives of both Dunbia and its competitor Kepak.
Cllr Colm Arthur, the staunchest ally of the project, pleaded with the chamber “to look at the bigger picture” in an effort to add to the 208 workforce; however he did caution that “there seem to be two parallel universes - the one where I live and the one where my [anti] colleagues live”.
He suggested that, alongside the jobs created in the new plant, there would be up to 100 building jobs involved in its construction, and warned: “There’ll be a fire on the Hill of Tara not seen since St Patrick if we let these jobs go. A ‘No’ vote is nothing short of economic treason against our countymen”.
Cllr Paul Daly, also supporting the motion told the meeting: “It’s very important the right message goes out that Westmeath is open for business”.
“I’m satisfied this application complies with planning legislation, and though I would have concerns about flies, odour, discharge and the like, the county manager is right. That is an issue for a later date with the EPA,” said Cllr Daly.
However, these opinions were countered by fellow Kilbeggan area councillors - Ger Corcoran and Joe Flanagan.
“The majority of people I’ve listened to are opposed to this. All are very concerned about jobs, but at what cost? Would we push anything through for jobs?” said Cllr Corcoran.
“I promised I’d listen to people and protect their interests...in conscience, I have to be their voice today,” he added.
Cllr Flanagan told the meeting that in 30 years of public service, he had “never come across such a controversial issue” and that both “employees and residents were fearful of the unknown”.
“In my view an abattoir is a dirty industry. Why are we trying to move a dirty industry into a residential area?” he asked.
Cllr Denis Leonard felt this was “the right development in the wrong location”, and pointed out the council had a responsibility to the nearby residents to whom it had given planning permission in the last 10 years.
“Planning is a two-way street and we have to keep up our end of the bargain,” he said.
Curiously, a similar vote immediately preceding this - for a material contravention in Mullingar Business Park to facilitate an extension for Genesis Fine Arts - was passed unanimously.
