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Cement plant objectors to hold major rally The people of Tooreen/Aghamore and the surrounding area are to stage a major protest on Friday in protest against the decision last week by Mayo County Council to grant planning permission for a £30 million cement factory. As plans for the rally outside Tooreen National School were made earlier this week, a militant note was sounded by the objectors who warned they would "do all in their power and whatever it takes" to stop the controversial project going ahead. The angry objectors claim the proposal by Frank Harrington Ltd would cause serious environmental damage and have chosen the new school for their protest for "symbolic" reasons. Peter Cassidy, Chairman of the Tooreen Action Group, said yesterday: "The school is now felt to be at risk because it directly in the prevailing winds, one mile from the factory.. Mr. Harrington's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) claims there are no schools or libraries in the vicinity". Piggery Meanwhile, it emerged this week proposals for a 500 sow integrated pig unit at Coolaght, Claremorris, which was twice refused permission in 1993 and 1996 because of the threat to water quality has now been granted permission by the Board. Mr. Vincent Roche, Manager of the North Western Regional Fisheries Board, which is objecting to both the piggery and the cement factory because of the potential damage to the Moy system, said yesterday (Tuesday) there was "something fundamentally wrong where a development is refused permission one year and granted it the next". Mr. Roche claimed Mayo County Council has no choice but to grant planning permission for the cement project as section 98 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 precludes a planning authority or An Bord Pleanala from considering any matters relating to the risk of environmental pollution in respect of any proposed development which requires an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licence from the Environmental Protection Agency. The Board is to write to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government and to the Minister for Marine and Natural Resources expressing its concern. Christmas Deadline THE next issue of the Connaught Telegraph will be on sale on Tuesday morning December 23. The latest time for the receipt of news and advertising copy for that edition is 12 noon on this Friday December 19. The post Christmas Connaught Telegraph will be published on Tuesday morning December 30. The latest time for the receipt of advertisements for this issue is 12 noon on Monday morning December 29. We thank you for your co-operation. Christmas Waits Castlebar's Stephen Guthrie and Joe Geraghty are carrying on the traditional Waits tour of the town in the lead up to Christmas. Nightly they visit different parts of Castlebar wishing householders the compliments of the season Man killed in Achill tragedy The community of Kilmeena as well as Achill and the wider area of west Mayo have been stunned by the tragic death on Monday of Tom Ryan when a steel rope which was being used to tow a barge snapped hitting him in the head. Mr. Ryan, who lived at Kilmeena with his wife and four children, was employed by Clare Island Seafarms, Cloghmore, Achill. On Monday, he was involved in a tugboat operation to bring a barge ashore near Achillbeg. The victim was alone in the barge when apparently the steel tow row snapped knocking him backwards. Stunned colleagues on the tugboat raised the alarm. The local Achill lifeboat and a rescue helicopter assisted in the operation to recover the drifting barge and body. Ballinrobe man killed in States The remains of a 26 year old Mayoman, who died after falling from a construction site in New York, will be brought home through Shannon today (Wed) for burial on Friday. Francis Gaynor of Ballytrasna, Ballinrobe, second youngest in a family of nine, was due to be married next year.A steelfixer, he died in hospital from serious injuries sustained in a fall from a building which was under construction. Francis had been in the States since 1992. He is survived by his mother, Patricia, brothers and sisters. His father, John, died some time ago. Removal from Cummins' Funeral Home, Ballinrobe tomorrow (Thursday) evening at 7 p.m. to St. Mary's Church. Mass on Friday at 12 noon with the funeral proceeding to Ballinrobe Cemetery. |
