Council to contest court charges over landfill odours
The local authority is to retain one of the top barristers in the country, Patrick Gageby SC, to defend the charges, along with Michael Collins BL, in the case.
At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Mr Collins told the court the evidence in the case was of a technical nature and the trial may take two to three weeks.
Mr Collins confirmed that Mr Gageby would also be acting on behalf of the council in the case.
The Book of Evidence has already been served on the council where it is facing a total of 20 charges.
The court documents relate to 10 charges, between August 2007 and February 2009, which accuse the council of failing to ensure activities did not result in significant impairment of, or with amenities of, the environment beyond the facility boundary.
The council is also accused of 10 additional summons of contravening section 6.1 of its waste licence, failing to ensure that odours did not give rise to nuisance at the facility or in the immediate area
Yesterday, Judge Carroll Moran adjourned the case to the next call-over to Ennis Circuit Court on May 30.
Last November, members of Clare County Council unanimously voted to shut down the loss-making landfill at Inagh.
The landfill is due to close later this year because the council cannot afford to keep it open and fund its expansion.
