Mayo County Council sign contracts for historic landfill remediation project

Mayo County Council have signed a contract worth approximately €2.5million with Joe Reilly Plant Hire Ltd for the Claremorris Historic Landfill Remediation Project. The work to complete the remediation will take 44 weeks and is funded 100 per cent by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE), with consultant engineers Fehily Timoney overseeing the project.

Historically the site operated as a landfill accepting municipal waste from 1982 to March 1996 and upon completion the landfill will be capped to the recommended Environmental Protection Agency requirements.

This will reduce the environmental risks from the site and when completed it will be ready to be handed over to the Claremorris and Western District Energy Co-Operative, who have worked tirelessly on a voluntary basis to progress this issue, for the development of a 5MW community solar farm project.

Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Sean Carey said following the signing of the contract: “This is a good day for the people and town of Claremorris and the entire County. When this project is completed, it will reduce environmental risk associated with the historic landfill site and will have a positive impact on the surrounding environment.”

John Condon, Deputy Chief Executive of Mayo County Council added: “Mayo County Council is committed to ensuring that the highest of standards are applied when it comes to ensuring all environmental regulations are complied with. This remediation project is another demonstration of Mayo County Council living up to these commitments and ensuring improved ground and groundwater quality underlying the site, improved water quality at receiving surface water bodies and improved ambient air quality in the vicinity of the site.”

Photographed above at the contact signing for the Claremorris Historic Landfill Remediation Project were, back row, from left: Cllr Damien Ryan; Ann Moore (Head of Environment, Mayo County Council), Cllr Richard Finn, Killian Farrell (Senior Executive Scientist, Mayo County Council), Tom Gilligan (Director of Services, Mayo County Council), James O’Neill (Fehily Timoney, Consultant Engineers).

Front row: Cllr Michael Burke (Cathaoirleach Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District), Martina Hughes (Senior Executive Officer, Mayo County Council), Cllr Sean Carey (Cathaoirleach Mayo County Council), John Condon (Deputy Chief Executive, Mayo County Council), Colm Reilly (Joe Reilly Plant Hire Ltd.) and Ms. Neasa Reilly (Joe Reilly Plant Hire Ltd.)

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