One Government committee has asked another to reconsider a decision not to investigate an environmental issue in Limerick.
Farmers in Askeaton, Co Limerick, had raised concerns about a tailings pond on the Aughinish Alumina-Glencore site.
The Cappagh Farmers' Support Group first asked the Dáil Committee on Marine and Natural Resources to investigate. They said they had concerns about the health effects on their children, families and animals.
That committee passed the issue to the Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government, which in turn passed it on to the Joint Committee on Health and Children. Now the health committee has written to the environment committee, asking it to reconsider its decision not to investigate the issue.
In a letter to the farmers' group, a clerk to the Joint Committee on Health and Children said the farmers' concerns had been noted by the committee, and the members had decided to write to the environmental committee. The health committee believed this was "fundamentally an environmental matter and any health concerns are a symptom of the environmental problems", the letter stated.
"It is the underlying environmental causes at the root of the problem that need to be investigated." The letter from the health committee was noted by the Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government when it met last Wednesday.
Environment committee member, Green Party TD Mr Ciarán Cuffe, said it would try to raise the issue when the committee meets tomorrow.
He said it was important that the matter was discussed by the committee as it was a great concern for people in the area.
Green Party leader Mr Trevor Sargent visited some farmers in the Askeaton area last week and also expressed serious concern.
The Aughinish Alumina tailings pond is made up of red mud, the main by-product after alumina is extracted from bauxite ore. The farmers' group said people had been complaining about red dust coming on to their property for many years, but could not get anyone to take action, or responsibility, for this.
Aughinish Alumina has always declined to comment on the farmers' ongoing criticisms. However, it is understood that the company would vigorously reject any suggestion that the tailings pond was toxic or dangerous.
The farmers have already called for an investigation of the State's handling of the inquiry into unexplained animal deaths in the Askeaton area.
A €5 million inquiry into the deaths led by the Environmental Protection Agency failed to pinpoint the exact cause of the animals' ill-health, but said the most likely causes related to infection, nutrition and farm management.
