Cork County Council concerned about halt in asbestos clean-up at demolished piggery
The council has confirmed to local representatives that removal works at the site in the north Cork village of Grenagh – which housed a defunct piggery prior to its demolition last April – had ceased. Picture: Dan Linehan
Cork County Council has been urged to find a way to complete the removal of asbestos from a demolished building after it emerged a contractor had ceased works to that end on the site.
The council has confirmed to local representatives that removal works at the site in the north Cork village of Grenagh – which housed a defunct piggery prior to its demolition last April – had ceased.
That demolition had taken place without permission, with the landowner subsequently engaging a construction company to safely remove the harmful material. However, it has now emerged that the landowner has dispensed with the services of the same construction company, and that remediation works at the site have now ceased.
“The announcement is of concern to Cork County Council, and we will be examining this development forthwith,” a council official told representatives.
Asbestos is a dangerous carcinogenic material, which, while now illegal for use in building works, was commonly used in the construction of residential buildings prior to the 1980s due to its effectiveness when used as insulation. However, inhalation of the substance can lead to health problems in the lungs, including lung cancer.
When it first emerged that asbestos was present in the materials remaining after the demolition of the building in question, local GAA games in the vicinity were cancelled as locals moved to mitigate the impact of the discovery, with the local playground also vacated.
Following the council update this week, local Fianna Fáil TD Padraig O’Sullivan called on the council to secure the site in question, and engage with the decommissioned contractor to see if the works could be completed.
He further requested that charges be made against the site, and that a “clear plan” be put in place “to alleviate further anxiety amongst the community”.
Cork County Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.
It’s understood that a mechanism may be employed via existing legislation to force completion of the works with the resultant charges billed to the landowner. However, it’s also believed that the cost of any removal works would likely exceed the value of the site, while the identity of the landowner is still unclear.
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