Residents urged to attend sewage plant meetings

NORTHSIDE residents are being urged to attend public meetings which will be held this month as part of the Clonshaugh sewage plant proposal.

Fingal County Council has published a report on the fourth phase of public consultation undertaken for the Greater Dublin Drainage Project, who are tasked with delivering the controversial plant.

During this phase of public consultation, which ran from June 10 to August 2, the project team received a total of 13,491 submissions.

Members of the team will be available to meet with members of the public on Tuesday, January 21, from 10am to 4pm at Northside Civic Centre, Bunratty Road, Coolock; and on Wednesday, January 22, from 10am to 4pm at Baldoyle Library to answer any questions they may have in relation to the project.

The report, entitled

‘Greater Dublin Drainage Public Consultation Report on the Issues to be considered in the Environmental Impact Statement’, details feedback received from local people and other stakeholders on issues to be considered in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will be prepared for the project.

Approximately 34 acres of a 120-acre farm owned by PJ Jones is to be used for the controversial plant after the site in Clonshaugh was chosen last year.

The Jones family has been running the farm – located in Cloghran – as a business for more than 50 years. They now face the daunting prospect of losing the business they’ve put most of their lives into.

Joe Jones, a member of the Reclaim Fingal Alliance action group, has vowed to continue fighting the decision.

Mr Jones said the figure of 13,491 submissions tells its own story.

“There’s massive opposition to this plant being located here,

? he told Northside People.

A number of protests took place in 2013 and Mr Jones envisages that the campaign will be stepped up this year when the project gets to the planning stage.

“Our family will be fully supportive of any residents’ associations involved in the campaign,

? he said.

Mr Jones added that it was important that local people attend the meetings to voice their concerns.

The site for the proposed plant will be 800 metres from the residential areas of Belcamp and Darndale.

Meanwhile, Peter O’Reilly, Project Engineer at Fingal County Council, thanked the public for engaging in the latest stage of the consultation process.

“In particular, I welcome all the comments and submissions which will now be considered by the project team,

? Mr O’Reilly told Northside People.

“I would encourage people to continue to make contact with the project team and have any questions answered.

“The proposed plant at Clonshaugh will be between three and 15 metres high, surrounded by landscaping.

“It will be designed, built and operated to the highest modern technological standards that will comply with all relevant EU and Irish legislation to ensure it is a good neighbour to the surrounding communities.

“In addition, the project will require a licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect the environment and ensure that only wastewater treated to the appropriate standards will be discharged six kilometres out to sea.

?

Mr O’Reilly said they plan to submit an application for planning approval to An Bord Pleanala this year.

“That will be followed by an additional statutory phase of public consultation run by the Board,

? he added.

“After that we will hold a procurement process to appoint a team to design, build and operate the project and construction would not be expected to start until at least 2018.

?

The Consultation Report is available to view and download free of charge at www.greaterdublindrainage.com.

It is also available for inspection at the planning counters of Fingal County Council at Swords and Blanchardstown; at Fingal Libraries in Blanchardstown, Malahide and Baldoyle; at the Dublin City Council Area Office in Coolock; and in the libraries at Coolock and Donaghmede.