Swinford rallies against biogas facility

A packed public meeting in Swinford on Wednesday night was told that the site for a proposed biogas facility near the town is utterly unsuitable.

Concerns highlighted by a host of speakers included a detrimental impact on traffic flow, unsuitable roadways and possible pollution of the nearby river Moy.

A previous planning application by Moy Valley Biogas Ltd was rejected, but the company lodged a new application in recent months. Wednesday’s meeting, hosted by Swinford Biogas Concern Group (SBCG), was addressed by a number of speakers, including environmental scientist Áine McCann, who previously designed a waste-management system for Galway City Council.

She said that there were several serious problems with the proposed location of the facility, and that it would have a lasting negative impact on the environment and biodiversity.

She urged the Swinford community to make their feelings known to Mayo County Council as forcefully as possible.

Moira Philbin, SBCG chairperson, said there was a huge groundswell of support for the community campaign, and she stressed that locals were extremely concerned about the location of the proposed facility.

“If you picked the most unsuitable location possible, this is it,” she stated.

“We’re not against biogas in any way, shape or form, but the location of this is wrong in so many ways. The roads are just the width of a car, the site is where the old dump was situated and there are young families living all around the proposed site. There is huge local opposition to the proposed site, not to biogas itself – it’s important that message gets out.”

‘Not appropriate’
AN interested member of the audience on Wednesday was local man William Drake Phillips, who works with communities across Asia developing projects and facilities. He told The Mayo News of biogas facilities he had witnessed firsthand, none of them on the scale of the proposed Swinford development.

“They’re a good idea on a small scale. I’ve come across them on farms and they work well, but an industrial one of this scale in the proposed location is completely alien to that. There are a number of very salient points being made here tonight that are a huge worry for the local community and the environment. It’s clearly not appropriate,” he added.

Contributors on the night included Cllr Gerry Murray and former cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council Joe Mellett.

Both pledged their support to the group and said they would assist the community in its campaign.

Cllr Murray said that although biogas and biomass were branded as renewable the opposite was the case.

He quoted EU regulations and urged the community to work together for the good of all.

Mr Mellett said he had listened to all the speakers and was impressed by the approach and the facts delivered.

“Having listened to the presenters and the comments of the paper here tonight I’m more determined than ever to assist you in this campaign. I’m bred, born and reared in Swinford, one of the nicest towns in Ireland, and anything that has a detrimental affect on it must be resisted.”