A waste management company has expressed an interest in buying land in east Galway, raising concerns that it plans to develop a landfill site there.
The land is at Newbridge, one of three areas in east Galway, along with New Inn and Kilrickle, designated by the Connacht Waste Management Plan as potential landfill sites for the county. Celtic Waste Management of Dublin has approached land-owners in the area to buy land.
A company spokeswoman confirmed that Celtic Waste Management had been looking at land in the area and had spoken to a number of landowners. She confirmed that if the company did purchase land in the area, it would be for a waste management facility. Celtic Waste Management operates a landfill site in Co Kildare, the first privately run landfill, licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency, in the State. It is in the process of applying for permission for a second facility in Co Meath.
There are fears in the Newbridge area that a landfill will now be forced on the area. A local Fine Gael TD, Mr Paul Connaughton, said he knew of five farmers in the Newbridge area who were approached by Celtic Waste and offered £16,000 an acre.
Three opposition groups from Newbridge, New Inn and Kilrickle are involved in legal proceedings to prevent the local authority from getting access to the lands to assess their suitability for landfill.
Galway's waste crisis is coming to a head as, from next month, no commercial waste from the city will be accepted by the Urban District Council at the county's only landfill site at Ballinasloe.
An emergency meeting was held last week between private waste collectors, the employer group IBEC and a senior Department of Environment official to discuss the situation. The official is understood to have said that the Minister may have to intervene and use his powers under the Waste Management Act, 1996.
