Householders living near a proposed new regional landfill on the Kildare-Meath border would receive almost €100,000 each as "compensation" during the 13 years of the facility's operation, it emerged yesterday.
Dublin-based firm Padraig Thornton Waste Disposal Ltd has lodged plans to Kildare and Meath county councils for the integrated waste management facility, which would be able to receive 220,000 tonnes of waste annually.
A company spokesman said yesterday that in recognition of some residents being inconvenienced by the additional traffic on routes leading to the landfill, they would receive annual compensation of €6,500 from Thornton Ltd.
During the 13-year operation of the landfill the figure would amount to €84,500 per household.
Although the spokesman could not say how many households would be compensated, the accompanying Environmental Impact Statement notes that there are 20 houses within 500 metres of the landfill footprint and approximately 69 houses within one kilometre.
The spokesman said: "We see it as a positive move and we hope to meet the local community on other ways to contribute profits from the facility back into the community. It is a state-of-the-art facility and will be constructed and managed in accordance with the EU Landfill directive. There is local opposition to it, but local residents need not have anything to fear from it."
The facility would receive waste from the Dublin, Meath and Kildare areas and would employ 45 people. It would also contain a recycling centre.
A separate application for a waste management licence for this facility will be lodged with the Environmental Protection Agency next week. The proposed site covers 204 acres. Two-thirds of this area are in north Co Kildare, and its northern boundary is located 70 metres from the Royal Canal, a National Heritage Area.
Mr Michael McCormack of the Broadford-Longwood Environmental Concern Group said there was widespread anger in the local community at what he called the prospect of a "superdump" being developed in the area. "We fear that the dump being located here will contaminate the nearby River Boyne and Royal Canal," he said.