Press Statement
Kieran O’Donnell TD Limerick City Thursday 5th November 2020
EPA Oral Hearing on Irish Cement Licensing to take place remotely (online) on Wednesday December 2nd – O’Donnell
– Public can observe the Oral hearing online.
Limerick Fine Gael TD Kieran O’Donnell has today been informed in writing by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that they will be holding an Oral Hearing on the objections to the Irish Cement licence application for the burning of alternative fuels at the Irish Cement Mungret plant, on Wednesday 2nd December 2020. The hearing will be held remotely and any member of the public can observe it online.
Along with others, Deputy O’Donnell had formally requested this Oral hearing from the EPA.
“Today I was informed by the EPA in a written email that the EPA intend to hold their Oral Hearing on the objections to the Irish Cement licence application for the burning of alternative fuels at the Irish Cement Mungret plant, on Wednesday 2nd December 2020 starting 10am.
“I welcome this decision by the EPA to grant an Oral hearing, which had been deferred from May last due to Covid-19. Furthermore, the hearing will be held remotely in line with the Government’s Resilience and Recovery Plan for living with Covid-19.
“It is regrettable that this Oral hearing cannot be conducted in the regular way, attended by local residents affected at a venue here in Limerick, like the South Court Hotel, but, Covid-19 restrictions means this is not currently possible.
“Having seriously considered the EPA board’s recommended determination of 18th September 2019 and reflecting the genuine and legitimate fears of local residents, on Public health grounds, I continue to hold major concerns and reservations with this recommendation to grant by the EPA board. This Oral hearing will facilitate putting forward these serious concerns in a public forum and I would encourage as many as possible to observe the public hearing online.
“Importantly however, the hearing will ensure the serious and genuine concerns of people living in Mungret, Dooradoyle and Raheen area are heard again, and that detailed information of what is being proposed by the burning of alternative materials is discussed in the public domain.
ENDS.
Notes to editor:
Email notification from EPA:
From: noreply Reply <noreply@epa.ie>
Sent: 05 November 2020 17:00
Subject: Notification from EPA in relation to P0029-06 Irish Cement Limited (Limerick) EPA043093
Dear Sir/Madam,
Please review the attached notification. Any response should be submitted to licensing@epa.ie.
EPA Correspondence Ref# LACT00006498 Reg 30 Notices.
Please note that there is no requirement to acknowledge receipt of this e-mail.
Yours faithfully,
Environmental Protection Programme
Office of Environmental Sustainability
Tel: 053-9160600