Two large meat-processing plants were among 15 facilities prosecuted last year by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for breaches of their pollution control licences.
Donegal Meat Processors Ltd and Dawn Country Meats Ltd, which trades as Western Proteins, based in Co Mayo, had to pay a total fine, including costs, of £8,084 and £11,761 respectively.
Both facilities took remedial actions following the prosecutions.
The largest fines for non-compliance were imposed on Monaghan Poultry Products (£26,388), and National By-Products (£24,573), Cashel, Co Tipperary.
Twelve of the 15 facilities prosecuted were in the intensive agriculture and food and drink sectors.
The agency "expressed disappointment at general complacency in parts of the food sector (especially the animal slaughtering sector)" in adhering to their licences.
A number of companies had actually regressed, according to the agency's report, Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) Licensing 2000.
The food and drink sector, which includes the rendering, slaughtering and dairy industries, has the highest level of complaints and 40 per cent of the prosecutions. Within this sector, the rendering and slaughtering industries accounted for 100 per cent of prosecutions, 78 per cent of the enforcement notices and 77 per cent of the complaints.
Also successfully prosecuted last year were: Liffey Meats (Cavan) Ltd, Ashbourne Meats Roscrea, Glanbia Farms Ltd (Clonaslee), Roscrea Bacon Factory Ltd, Galvotech (International) Ltd and Galvotech Ireland Ltd.
All prosecutions initiated by the agency last year were successful.
Altogether in 2000 the agency issued 241 notifications of non-compliance. These were sent to 150 facilities representing about 25 per cent of the total number of licensed facilities.
"In the majority of cases corrective action and preventive actions were completed satisfactorily."
Where there is serious risk of environmental pollution, section notices are issued which require immediate attention.
Nine of these notices were issued to eight facilities last year. One was subsequently prosecuted. Details of this prosection will be included in the 2001 report.
Facilities receiving the highest number of complaints from the public were, in order: Dawn Country Meats Ltd (Co Mayo); Dairygold Co-operative Society Ltd (Co Cork); Monaghan Poultry Products Ltd (Co Monaghan); Masonite Corporation (Co Leitrim); Premier Proteins (2000) Ltd (Co Galway); Irish Ispat Ltd (Co Cork); and National By-Products (Co Tipperary).
Most complaints made last year concerned odour.
Facilities with an IPC licence must also report on their own environmental performance. Last year 6,147 reports were received. Additional information was sought in 246 of these cases.
Mr Iain Maclean, EPA director of licensing and control, said: "In the pig sector it is probable that many activities which require licences have yet to apply."