Open Letter to Trevor Sargent from an East Galway Green

galway | environment | feature

Thursday October 27, 2005 15:55

by Brendan Kelly - East Galway Green Party

brendankellywoodlawn at yahoo dot ie

Local Community have concerns about the Greenstar proposed landfill site in Killconnell

Killaan
Woodlawn
Ballinasloe
Co Galway

Dear Trevor

As you know members of the Local Community have several concerns about the Greenstar proposed landfill site in Killconnell. The situation came to a head over 2 weeks ago when I was forced to exercise my rights under Local Agenda 21 to stop Greenstar destroying a public Right of Way used by many members of our Local Community for generations. A stand-off developed and this was defused when the local Fine Gael TD Paul Connaughton arranged a meeting of all concerned people and Greenstar. The result of this meeting was that Greenstar would supply proof that they were entitled by law to dig up a Public Right of Way and they would not disturb the surface of the Public Right of Way until the matter was resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

As you know The Green Party does not have an elected representative in East Galway so this morning I phoned Michael Mullins to find out the position. Mr Mullins told me that Greenstar would have maps ready soon. I pointed out to Mr Mullins that the maps, deeds, etc should be available on request as part of Greenstar's Environmental Impact Assessment and that I asked to see the EIA as is my right. Mr Mullins told me quite bluntly that I should "ring the people I vote for". On this point Trevor I would ask you to find out if it is now FG policy to only represent the people that vote for them. As far as I can gather there has been some sort of deal done between Mr Joe Callanan and Greenstar to accommodate the FF people which leaves the people that do not vote right wing in a weak position. I have learned that Dermot Connolly representing the Sinn Fein voters has concerns but to date has not been contacted by Greenstar. This leaves the Green Party voters without representation. This concerns me greatly as this Public Right of Way leads to a Native Oak Woodland, A Burial Ground to name but two sites that would be of interest to Green voters.

A major concern I have is that the concerns or the Local Community were not represented at all in this matter. Mr Connolly SF was not elected when this started. The Public Consultation appears to have been between the FF and FG elected representatives and Greenstar and all that were not represented by FF and FG were not consulted. I certainly was not invited to a Public Consultation nor did I see an advert for a Public Consultation. I have asked on several occasions to see the EIA for this site but to date have not seen it despite been told by both Mr Mullins and Mr Callanan that it was available. I would ask you now Trevor to get the EIA for me and as you know you can call for an immediate close down of the site until the EIA is produced.

At this point Trevor is is difficult to trust anything to do with Greenstar. We already know that this proposed landfill is on top of an aquifer, beside a Native woodland, in a sensitive area and in an area with heritage sites. Any one of which should have made this site unsuitable for a landfill site. None the less we are told that it has planning permission etc yet no-one except FF and FG representatives have seen the EIA. As we all know Planning Permission and EPA licenses cannot be given without an EIA having been done and the principal part of the PP is to produce clear title of all property and a Public Consultation.

While I understand East Galway is not your constituency Trevor, I would ask you to represent the Green party voters and members of the Local Community that have a vested interest in not allowing their water supply (aquifer) to be polluted. I have major concerns that Greenstar cannot control the Leachate and the fact that members of the Local Community are not allowed on site confirms my fears. If Greenstar cannot control the Leachate ALL the wells in this and the surrounding area will be poisoned. We are entitled under Local Agenda 21 to protect our water supply. It is Greenstar's duty to satisfy us that they are able to control the Leachate. While they apparently have convinced the FF and FG voters that they have, I and many other potential Green or Left Wing voters are not convinced. You are the nearest TD we have in East Galway and I would ask you to find out how and why Greenstar received permission to put a landfill on an aquifer beside a Native Woodland in a sensitive area covered with Heritage sites without doing an EIA.

Yours Hoping for answers
Brendan Kelly
Green Party Member
0909687778