Cllr John Sheahan, listening to the Public meeting with Cadence EnviroPower about proposed gasification plant at Gortadroma.
Picture Brendan Gleeson
by Bernie English
ELECTED local authority members in Limerick have moved to axe a controversial deal to develop a gasification plant at the former landfill at Gortadroma.
The monthly council meeting suspended its normal proceedings to consider a resolution from members of the Adare/Rathkeale district calling for a complete review of the agreement “including the question of the termination of the lease”.
The public gallery was packed with residents opposed to the plan as Fianna Fáil councillor Richard O’Donoghue read the resolution signed by all members of the district council.
The resolution read: “In recognition of public concern, the councillors of the Adare/Rathkeale Municipal District call on the executive to conduct an immediate, comprehensive review of the provisions of the agreement to lease entered into between Limerick City and County Council and Cadence Enviropower Ltd with a view to establishing the options, if any, available to the Council including the question of the termination of this agreement to lease.”
Members agreed to pass the resolution without any debate and chief executive Conn Murray undertook to seek legal advice in relation to the proposal and to revert to the Council with a full report on the matter.
The Council started a process in March, 2010 to identify possible future options and uses of lands at Gortadroma, in anticipation of the closure of the landfill facility there.
The initial intention was to consider disposing of the land either by sale or by lease but the option of disposing of the land by sale was not a viable option.
Following a visit to a gasification plant in France, members of the full Council agreed to dispose of the lands by way of agreement to lease to Cadence Enviropower (CEP) Ltd.
The agreement to lease documents were completed in May of this year.
CEP is proposing to convert 1,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste a day into syngas at the former West Limerick landfill site. It is also planned to burn thousands of tonnes of tyres at the proposed facility each week.
The incineration will give off gas capable of generating 30 megawatts of electricity.
The council say the rental of the site to CEP will yield €4 million a year excluding VAT for 30 years while the project is estimated to create 150 jobs.
There was a signing fee of €50,000 for the lease, which gives the company five years to obtain the necessary planning permissions.
In a statement issued after the meeting, a council spokesman said it was a matter for Cadence Enviropower to enter into pre-planning consultations with An Bord Pleanala to establish if the application for planning should be submitted directly to An Bord Pleanala or to Limerick City and County Council.
“This decision will be made by An Bord Pleanala and Cadence Enviropower will also have to secure the necessary licences for the disposal of waste from the EPA.
“The public will have ample opportunity during the Planning and Licensing Process of raising their concerns with the relevant bodies”, the statement concluded.
