The Galway city manager yesterday accepted that Galway Corporation breached a High Court order and planning permission relating to works at a landfill site near Lough Corrib. Dumping at the Carrowbrowne site has been prohibited by court order since January 1999.
Mr John Tierney, who took up the post of city manager on January 17th last, said it was never the intention of any corporation official to contravene the order or permission. Mr Tierney was called to testify during the hearing of an application by three residents of Carrowbrowne for the sequestration of the corporation's assets and attachment of the city manager for alleged contempt of a 1998 High Court order.
In December 1998, after finding the corporation had "deliberately, consciously and unlawfully" flouted conditions laid down by An Bord Pleanala regarding the Carrowbrowne site, Mr Justice Kelly ordered all dumping to cease by January 11th, 1999. Earlier this month, residents alleged dumping had resumed at the site.
Mr Tierney said although the corporation believed the marl deposited up to last week was suitable for remediation works, it would not resume using it unless that was permitted as part of a future permission for such works.
Mr Justice Kelly said he would give his decision on the application on March 30th. Until then, he granted an injunction restraining the dumping of any material, especially the marl referred to, on the site.