By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council meeting
“Same disgusting smell. Different decade” read a placard carried by one of several residents from Ballyminaun, near Gorey, where ongoing issues around the obnoxious smell have been around for a decade now and a group gathered outside County Hall before yesterday’s (Monday) monthly meeting to protest at the slow progress in resolving the matter.
Before the meeting Carolyne Godkin, Director of Services, Wexford County Council, met with the concerned residents, listened to their views and outlined the current situation. The residents were also welcomed in the public gallery when the matter was discussed at the meeting.
Ms. Godkin said she briefed the residents and engaged with them before Christmas about the ecological sensitive areas and said she is trying to get a resolution and mount a comprehensive plan to resolve the matter.
The residents were supported by Cllr Joe Sullivan and Cllr Fionntán O Súilleabháin. “The stink from the composting plan is a nightmare for residents,” they agreed.
Concerns were also expressed about pyrite and one of the residents on the protest had his house badly damaged by pyrite and featured on RTE’s PRIME TIME seeking a resolution to the matter, but felt he was struggling to get support.
Cllr Sullivan said; “the pyrite issue is hugely concerning and there has to be a follow up.” He explained that it is exactly a year since the Ballyminaun residents sat in the County Chamber seeking redress and now the pyrite issue is “a living nightmare.”
Cllr Donal Kenny expressed his support for “a heavy push on Ballyminaun” and the blocks case (pyrite) but said it doesn’t matter where the blocks came from.
Both the smell from the Ballyminaun plant and the case for the pyrite compensation issues are certain to remain on the agenda and will resurface, but those concerned are growing tired of inaction and more public protests may take the matters to Dublin.
WexfordLocal.com 