Waste Transfer Licence Runs Out

Ballinasloe Says No!

The Ballinasloe Says No committee welcomed news from Galway County Council that permission has lapsed for the Poolboy Waste Facility, along with no further petition or extension requested by the applicant. Originally validated by Galway County Council, approval for development on the site by way of licence has now been deactivated.
 
Ballinasloe Says No is a community group who have challenged the granting of permits to operate a station at an inappropriate location in Poolboy The activists, along with the public in Ballinasloe, have submitted over 2000 objections due to safety and environmental concerns regarding this facility polluting the town.
Chairperson of the committee Dr. Vincent Parsons welcomed the news and congratulated the group on their achievement. “Major health hazards would result from these types of major waste facilities such as noxious gases, dust, insects and vermin as well as pollution of waterways and environment. As part of Ballinasloe Says No we have fought against this inappropriate location and we have taken this to the High Court and won”, he stated.
 
President of the group Eamonn O’ Donogue was pleased with the confirmation saying: “This is wonderful news for the residents of town. We have highlighted the health and environmental challenges of a waste transfer station in this location as well as the road hazards of large waste trucks coming through the streets of our locality”.
 
Senator Aisling Dolan, who is the Co-Founder, Secretary and PRO for the committee, stressed the significant action taken by the activists in preventing the development of this waste transfer station: “We have a great group with a huge commitment who have campaigned and fundraised over the past 5 years. Together with Chairperson Vincent, Parsons and Eamonn O’Donoghue, we have won three times in the High Court challenging permits for the waste transfer station. We would like to thank the legal team of solicitors and barristers as well as people who became part of our legal group and put their names on the line for Ballinasloe now and in 1999.”
 
Councillor Dr. Evelyn Parsons emphasised that proposed development at the Poolboy Waste Transfer Station was against the current Ballinasloe Local Area Plan, and was delighted that her proposal for a remediation startegy at the facility will be included with the draft County Development Plan.
 
Cllr Parsons is a staunch environmentalist and member of the Climate Change and Biodiversity Strategic Policy Committee (SPC), having raising ecological concerns on various occasions. “Throughout the CDP process I’ve championed the guiding principle of environmental justice for fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens to enable communities such as ours equitable opportunities to prosper within the county in terms of environment, quality of life, health and future economic growth opportunities including attracting investment and sustainable tourism”, she stated.
It remains to be seen if the appellant will pursue other avenues to achieve his stated commercial objectives but the group are remaining vehement and vigilant.