AN undertaking was given on bed half of a number of Co Meath residents in the High Court yesterday that they would not obstruct Meath County Council in carrying out tests on lands at Demailstown, Wilkinstown, near Navan, to assess their suitability for use as a dump.
Mr Justice Geoghegan, having heard submissions from both sides, said he strongly recommended that the council convene a meeting with the residents to discuss their concerns.
Mr William Madden, civil engineer with M.C. O'Sullivan & Co Ltd, consulting engineers, said in an affidavit the firm had been commissioned by the council to prepare a waste management strategy study for Co Meath.
Sixteen potential sites were identified, and the number was subsequently reduced to four.
There were considerable opposition and protests from residents in the vicinity of each site.
On June 27th he on behalf of the council and personnel from Irish Geotechnical Services Ltd went to lands at Demailstown to carry out surveys. They were met by about 50 protesters who blocked their entry to the lands.
Mr Ronald Owens, of Chamberstown, Slane, in an affidavit, said his farm was beside a designated landfill site which would take waste from Meath and possibly from Dublin and surrounding counties. He opposed the site.
His main concern at this stage was to ensure information was given to residents.
The concerns of local people should be carefully considered and taken into account before any final site selection was made. The council had refused to do so.
The approach of the council was solely directed towards providing a huge landfill without any equal emphasis on recycling, reduction and re use.
The local community wanted a commitment that its concerns would be taken into account before a decision was made.