This article is from page 27 of the 2005-11-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 27 JPG
A RELIGIOUS order has contradict- ed claims by a Whelan Group-owned company that a quarry has been op- erated on lands at Cahercon since the early 1960s.
Currently, long-time opponents of the Whelan Group, the Kildysart Ex- plosives Factory Opposition Group (KEFOP) and Cairde Chill on Disirt Teo are objecting against Clare County Council registering a quarry operated by Staleen Property Co Ire- land Ltd at Cahercon, Kildysart.
The quarry has been and it con- tinues to be used by Shannon Explo- sives Ltd, the company behind plans to develop a €6 million explosives factory at Cahercon and CW Ship-
ping, the company currently operat- ing the controversial lease at Caher- con pier.
In September, the Council gave notice that the quarry was being reg- istered as part of the process under Section 261 of the Planning and De- velopment Act where the Council re- ceived almost 200 applications from quarry owners across the county.
In its statement, the Council stat- ed that planning permission has not been granted for the quarry and the Council is considering imposing conditions on the operation of the quarry.
However, KEFOP and Cairde Chill on Disirt Teo have lodged sub- missions with the Council objecting to the quarry being registered.
Supporting their opposition is Provincial of the Salesian Sisters, Sr Nora Ryan, contradicting a claim by Staleen that a quarry has always been in operation at the location prior to October 1964.
The quarry is on the 200 acres of land purchased by Managing Di- rector of the Whelan Group, Paddy Whelan from the Salesian Sisters for an estimated €1.2 million in 2002.
In her statement to the Council, Sr Ryan states that the Salesians lived at Cahercon House from 1962 to 2002 and “no part of the lands was used as a quarry for any commercial pur- pose during the time of the Salesian sisters.”
Former teacher at Cahercon, John McNeilis states in a submission that
‘the impression has been created that there was a quarrying operation car- ried out at Cahercon in the past, while it was owned by the Salesian Sisters and that up to 15,000 tonnes of mate- rial per annum left the quarry.”
He adds, “I was a teacher in St John Bosco’s Secondary School, Ca- hercon 1977 until its closure in June 2002 and I can clearly and categori- cally state that there was no such business in operation and that there was no commercial quarry in exist- Salerer
“During my 25 years working in Cahercon, I never witnessed a lorry load of gravel or stone leaving the property. Small amounts of mate- rial for use on the farm owned by the Salesian sisters was the only ‘quar- rying’ done.
In his submission, solicitor Michael Nolan on behalf of Cairde Chill on Teo states: “This was not a quarry prior to 2002 and I enclose a photo taken in October 2002 indicating the state of the lands at the time.”
“The area in question, is located, within an area which has been desig- nated visually vulnerable. My clients accordingly object in the strongest possible terms to the proposal to is- sue a licence for this quarry within the context of the Planning and De- velopment Acts.
On behalf of KEFOP, Brian Doyle States, “We are of the view that the Cahercon quarry was not in use prior to the Whelan Group purchasing the property in July 2002 with the excep- tion of use for domestic purposes by the Salesian Sisters.”