Use of Portlaoise peat pile faces court challenge by environmental group

A plan that could see a specialist composting company setting up in Portlaoise could be hit after a claim by an environmental group which says planning permission for the extraction of Bord na Móna peat stocks is required.

It emerged in March that Bord na Mona (BNM) and the international composting company ICL had reached an agreement to reopen the Cúil na Móna plant.

Laois Sinn Féin TD claimed at the time that the agreement would see ICL lease the plant from Bord na Móna initially for three years using the peat stockpiles taken from Laois bogs as a component for the horticulture compost. He added that the company have also developed an advanced wood fibre technology solution in terms of the components for the new compost product.

However, the Friends of the Irish Environment say Bord na Mona faces Court over moving peat stockpiles.

The environmental group say the removal of Bord na Mona’s 950,000 ton peat stockpiles had to stop on March 13. They say they warned the State company in a solicitor's letter.

A statement outlined the contents of the letter, Friends from the Irish Environment solicitors.

"This peat was extracted without the required planning permission, and without EIA or appropriate assessment. Bord na Móna now seeks to profit from this unauthorised development by using the material unlawfully extracted. The excavation and removal of peat stockpiles amounts to ‘works’ within the Planning and Development Act 2000 that itself require planning permission and may also require EIA and/or appropriate assessment," it stated.

The statement claimed that Bord na Móna told an Oireachtas Join Committee, the stockpiles of peat are being used for burning at Edenderry, for briquette making at Edenderry, and for horticulture at Cúil na Móna in Portlaoise.

The environmental charity said that if it does not receive the assurances required by close of business, it will seek an injunction under the Planning Acts in order to ensure that planning permission is sought with an opportunity for public consultation.

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A spokesperson for FIE said in a statement: "State Agencies are themselves not immune to European Environment law. Bord na Mona recently withdrew a number of applications for retrospective planning permission that could have ultimately authorised these works.

"The most beneficial use of these stockpiles is a matter for respective Planning Authorities - after public participation. A State Agency like Bord na Mona can not circumvent the planning law and public consultation to profit from unauthorised development" it said.

Laois TD says turf sale ban wrong move at wrong time

Dep Stanley said in March that the existing peat stocks from the local bogs will be ring fenced solely for the Irish market and Irish growers. He said this would solve an immediate problem as horticulture compost is in short supply at the moment in the country with some parts of the horticulture industry having reached crisis point due to supply shortages.

Welcoming the move, the Sinn Féin TD added that five jobs would be created with a possibility for this to grow further.