A judge warned yesterday he will consider imposing a driving ban on hauliers convicted of ferrying waste to unauthorised landfill sites.
Judge Flann Brennan was dealing with a number of cases at Carrickmacross District Court in Co Monaghan, where several men faced charges of breaching environmental legislation and causing pollution by dumping waste and rubble from building sites at Magheracloone, in south Monaghan, near the Cavan/Monaghan border.
Adjourning some of the prosecutions to a further sitting on November 14th, Judge Brennan said he believed the only way to halt illicit dumping was to remove driving licences from offenders. The judge suggested it was not acceptable nowadays that lorry drivers were "unaware of the seriousness of illicit dumping".
Gerry Jones, defending, told the court that one lorry driver, Declan Mullen (35), Knocknacran, Smithboro, Co Monaghan, who admitted collecting a trailer on the roadside between Monaghan and Dublin, had believed his cargo was merely a "a load of clay" and he had taken instructions on the phone from an employer .
Judge Brennan adjourned the charge against Mullen until the November 14th sitting. He said that in the circumstances he felt the removal of driving licences from hauliers who were convicted would appear to be the only measure to halt illicit dumping. A fine of €200 was imposed on Arron Curley (18), Mulladuff, Smithboro, Co Monaghan, whom, the court heard, was also arrested at the site where the illegal dumping was taking place at Magheracloone on July 28th last year.
A prosecution against Daniel Sweeney (17), of Magherarney, Smithboro, Co Monaghan, was adjourned until November 14th.