Scrapping of ESB air monitors criticised

THE Green Party has criticised a decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the ESB scrap 13 pollution monitoring stations around the Moneypoint and Tarbert power plants on the Shannon Estuary.

The network of air monitors have been in operation for the past 25 years and are sited in west Limerick near Foynes and Askeaton as well as in parts of Clare and Kerry.

The monitors check the impact of emissions many miles from the plants but an ESB spokesman said yesterday that they were no longer necessary.