Grpups opposed to the construction of a €6 million explosives factory on the shores of the Shannon estuary yesterday expressed their concern over sensitive information relating to the project being withheld from them by Clare County Council.
On the first day of an An Bord Pleanála oral hearing into the plan by Shannon Explosives Ltd, the spokesman for Cairde Chill an Disirt Teoranta, Mr Michael Nolan, claimed that much information relating to safety issues concerning the proposed facility at Kildysart, Co Clare is being withheld from his clients.
At the three-day hearing in Ennis, Mr Nolan said: "There is a breach in statutory issues in holding this oral hearing." Mr Nolan was supported by Mr Brian Doyle who, on behalf of the Kildysart Explosives Factory Opposition Group, said that their participation in this hearing is restricted due to lack of complete information.
He said: "It appears that other parties to this hearing have been given full and complete access to all of the information surrounding this matter. Therefore, not only are we at a disadvantage because of the absence of information but we are placed in an unequal position in comparison to others." Solicitor for Clare County Council Mr John Shaw acknowledged that the information not being made available was an issue.
He said the council has withheld the information from the appellants in order to comply with an order from the Government Inspector of Explosives. Mr Shaw said it was a very unusual situation that the council is not in a position to make information available to the board, adding that if the board makes a decision in relation to the information, the council will comply with that. Relating to a proposed "exclusion zone" around the facility, Mr Doyle said that "if the facility is built, then because of the effect of the safety zone no other activity could locate here".
He said: "It is very poor planning strategy to grant a permission that by its very operation excludes any other form of development." Earlier, the managing director of Shannon Explosives Ltd, Mr Bob Morhard, said the site is ideally suited because it is located away from densely populated areas.
In the council's submission, senior executive planner Mr Liam Conneally said the council is satisfied that the proposal is suitable to the proposed location.
An Bord Pleanála inspector Mr Brendan Wyse is expected to make a decision on the status of the information being withheld from the appellants today.
