Readymix has pleaded guilty to causing cement pollutant to be discharged into drains from its factory at Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, last September.
The company, of East Wall in Dublin, was charged under the Water Pollution Act in a prosecution brought by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
At yesterday's sitting of Dun Laoghaire District Court, Mr Pat Ruddy, a water pollution control inspector with the county council, said he had inspected the premises following complaints received, on September 24th.
Mr Ruddy observed a discharge into a local drain which discharged into a stream about 1 1/2 miles away in Monkstown, before entering the sea at Coal Harbour, Dun Laoghaire. Analysis of the pollutant had shown it contained sand, cement and lime, consistent with activity at the Readymix plant.
While Mr Ruddy could not say there was any fish life in the stream, the pollutant could have endangered wildfowl and animals.
Cross-examined by Mr Liam Lynch, solicitor for Readymix, Mr Ruddy agreed the pollutant was not poisonous, although it was a gross pollutant under the Water Pollution Act. Mr Lynch said his clients had adopted a revised practice in their operations.
Convicting on the charge of causing pollutant to enter a public drain, Judge Brian Kirby said the best thing was that the it had not entered a swimming area.
Readymix was a long-standing business, he said, and it was obvious it had to be extra careful and would be aware of that need for several decades.
Noting that the maximum fine was £1,000, Judge Kirby fined the company £500 after hearing that discussions with the county council would continue.