Lives of road users will be put at considerable risk if plans by Roadstone for a limestone quarry in Co Mayo are approved, claim local residents.
The site is at Islandeady and locals have expressed concern about hazards from increased daily truck movements on the N5 roadway at Islandeady, which is between Castlebar and Westport.
Residents have written to Minister for the Environment John Gormley in an effort to communicate their concerns about the proposal to develop the quarry and open out access to the N5 in the immediate vicinity of their homes.
Local people say they have little faith that the quarry operators will stick to their proposed 262 truck movements per day, or to their licensed times of operation.
Moreover, they have even less faith in the local authorities regulating them.
Roadstone Provinces lodged an application with Mayo County Council for the development of the quarry on a 69.96 hectare (172.87 acre) site at the end of September.
It is the fourth such application in eight years. The initial planning application was withdrawn by the company.
Subsequent applications were passed by the council and denied planning permission by An Bord Pleanála following a number of objections.