THE Ardagh-based concrete products company which pleaded guilty, in September 2015, to breaches of the air and water pollution acts and to causing excessive noise at its site, has been ordered to pay costs of over €7,340 to Limerick City and County Council.
McMahons Concrete Products has until July 4 to pay the legal and other costs incurred by the council in bringing the prosecution against the company, Judge Mary Larkin ruled at Newcastle West court.
Paul O’Grady, a executive engineer with Limerick City and County Council, told the court that when the matter first came before the court in September 2015, evidence was given about dust and noise from the site and about waste water run-off.
However, he continued, on that date, the council would be prosecuting the company for unauthorised development.
The whole site is unauthorised,” Mr Leahy said.
When McMahon Concrete Products first appeared before Judge Mary Larkin in September 2015, the company agreed to relocate.
The court was told that the company had grown and that the existing site was no longer suitable.
But, he said, in light of the planning issues on site, “that would affect our ability to raise finance.” In June, the company’s solicitor John Lynch told Judge Mary Larkin: “They just can’t move.” The company had met with officials from the planning section of Limerick City and County Council in a bid to find a solution for the existing site as opposed to relocation, he said but were told “they could do nothing with the existing site.
“It is a dispute between neighbours and a manufacturing plant.” “We could fight it out,” he added, but he felt that the outcome would be a recourse to some form of mediation.
The council accepted that the company had satisfied its undertakings relating to the original breaches and the matter will be finalised on July 4.