Standing orders were suspended at the monthly meeting of Louth County Council yesterday to discuss concerns over the treatment of asbestos on a site where local people have been protesting since Friday.
Councillor Jackie McConville (FF) asked for the suspension to discuss the 50-acre site at Boicetown, Togher. It contains asbestos from pipes that were put into a disused quarry up to 20 years ago.
Some members wanted to hear from the council's environment officer on the matter but the county manager, Mr John Quinlivan, said he was not making him available as he had to attend to other business.
After the meeting, the county secretary, Mr Joe Boland, said the council had issued a statutory notice to the owners of the lands at Boicetown requiring them to take measures concerning the asbestos.
These include providing temporary minimum soil cover of 450 mm and, while these works are going on, to monitor ambient air in the vicinity. This is to be done within four weeks of the notice, which was issued on October 5th.
Ms Bernadette Martin, of the Togher Action Against Dumping group, said outside experts and not the owners of the land should be responsible for making the asbestos safe.
"We need experts who would outline a plan and who would involve the community. We want guarantees local people would not be exposed to health risks and that asbestos would not re-emerge."
Group members have blocked entrances to the site after tractors with soil tried to enter last Friday. They say they will not be satisfied until an agreed plan of action is in place.