The Kerry Group-owned Henry Denny & Sons plant in Tralee was yesterday fined £2,400 for breaches of its licence from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The company faced 16 charges in a case taken by the EPA at Tralee District Court. Four of the charges were withdrawn.
Solicitor for the EPA Mr Barry Doyle said the charges related to an audit carried out by the agency. The breaches occurred between August 31st and November 10th, 1998, at its plant in Rackett Lane, Tralee.
Judge Humphrey Kelleher fined the company £800 for each of the three charges listed.
They included failure to notify the local and sanitary authorities of emissions which did not comply with the conditions of its IPC licence on August 31st 1998, failure to notify the EPA on the same date, and failure to maintain onsite records.
The remaining charges, which included furnishing the EPA with false or misleading information, were also considered.
Judge Kelleher said he had taken into account the fact that the company had no previous convictions under the Act, as well the guilty plea.
The cost of the EPA investigation and legal costs of £4,714 were also awarded against Dennys.
Solicitor for Dennys Mr Michael Larkin said consultants had since been employed by the company to evaluate procedures, all of which were now in order.
Kerry Group director of corporate affairs Mr Frank Hayes said EPA licences had been granted in 1997 and the audit had taken place the next year.
Mr Hayes said the breaches had been of a "technical nature" and no damage had been caused to the environment.
He said all issues had been rectified.