The benefits of local knowledge in relation to the removal of bog from the area surrounding the proposed gas terminal at Bellanaboy, north Mayo, was welcomed at the continuing oral hearing into the project yesterday.
Mr Martin Healy, a native of the area, in reply to a request for local information by Mr David Ball of An Bord Pleanála, told the hearing in Ballina that the plan to remove 600,000 cubic metres of peat to use as landfill on the site could prove problematic.
Mr Healy, who had worked with Bord na Móna for 20 years, said from his experience of cutting turf in his own bog near the terminal site, it was common for water run-off to occur as a result.
"The bog has a natural sponge effect and takes away rain water so when you take the peat away, you have a problem. Underneath the surface of the bog is daube material and the more you work with this, the more it begins to move and shake.
" I saw one machine working on the daube and it was like it was floating."
He added that there had also been two landslides in the region in recent times. "In one, trees and all moved across and blocked the public road," he said.
Mr Joe Tierney, representing local residents, said the bog in the area was 90 per cent water and absorbed most of the run-off from the average 200 days of rain each year.
The removal of the peat would result in absorption capabilities being grossly reduced. The consequent run-off might also flood neighbouring and low-lying areas.
"We think there is an unacceptable risk to quality of air and water. There are enough examples of industrial projects going wrong in the world and the terrible impacts they have on the immediate areas," he said.
Mr Jim McAndrew of Dúchas told the hearing that local people would have no choice but to leave the area if the Bellanaboy terminal was built.
"This is an environment of outstanding visual quality and character," Mr McAndrew said. "It covers thousands of acres of bog, beautiful mountains, lakes, rivers and beaches. There is no public transport and the beauty of the area is its unspoilt terrain.
"If the terminal is built, our view will be of a huge industrial complex and a hill floodlit at night on a permanent basis. If this development is forced on the locality, you couldn't expect the residents in the area to live under these conditions; they would have to move."
The oral hearing has been running for 15 days and is due to continue again on Monday morning.
Cross-examination of Enterprise Energy Ireland's submissions on the project is still under way while the Health and Safety Authority has been requested to attend again on Tuesday .