A number of businesses in Newbridge, Co Kildare, have been advised to close for unspecified periods following the discovery of asbestos.
The advice was issued by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) which began investigating the find on Tuesday. The asbestos was discovered when a unit at the former Cill Dara spinning factory was being renovated.
Mr Mike Finlay Jnr, general manager of M.A. Finlay & Sons Newbridge Ltd., a Ford dealer with a workshop in the factory, said the HSA advised his business to close "in the interests of health and safety".
He said his garage closed the workshop immediately and employed consultants to assess what work needed to be carried out to remove the dangerous substance. "We only just bought the unit and spent €200,000 fitting it out. Three weeks later we find out about the presence of this substance," he said. Staff have been relocated while the clean-up continues.
The owner of another affected business, who did not wish to be named, said he bought his unit four years ago and was shocked at the asbestos find.
He said he had been told it could cost €90,000 to render the unit safe for his 37 employees, who could be laid off for a month while the asbestos is removed.
A spokeswoman for the HSA said the agency could only confirm it was currently investigating a number of issues regarding asbestos in the Newbridge area."While investigations are ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further on the matter," she said.
Asbestos, a group of fibres which are both heat and chemically resistant, was used in the past on concrete walls and ceilings for fire protection and insulation.Breathing air containing asbestos dust can lead to asbestos-related diseases including cancers of the chest and lungs.
"There are no known safe levels of exposure," the HSA said.