Pond fears ‘should be heard’

FARMERS in Askeaton, Co Limerick who are plagued by human and animal health problems should be allowed make their case before the Dáil Committee on Marine and Natural Resources, according to a Labour senator.

The angry farmers want the committee to investigate a tailings pond on the Aughinish Alumina-Glencore site. Committee member Senator Kathleen O’Meara said the farmers should be given a chance to discuss their concerns.

“I would be very interested in hearing what they have to say about the pond,” Ms O’Meara said.

The Cappagh Farmers Support Group (CFSG) made the call following the recent visit of the Oireachtas committee to the Silvermines tailings pond in Co Tipperary.

“Our group is requesting the committee would extend the same investigation to the Limerick families as they did to Tipperary families,” CFSG spokesperson Pat Geoghegan said.

“Red dust has been falling on the land here for years but no one has been doing anything about it.”

The pond at Aughinish contains red mud from the alumina extracted from bauxite ore at the plant.

A 2001 report said industrial pollution was not responsible for an estimated 1,500 animal deaths in Askeaton over 10 years.