The family at the centre of the planning representation controversy has strong links with the Fianna Fáil party.
Mr Brian Murray, who owns the land involved, is a stonemason and farmer who lives at Glennanamer, some 10 miles south of Roscommon town, close to the village of Athleague.
He has specialised in headstones, and small-scale quarrying has taken place on the site since before 1963.
The farm on which the quarry is located is 36 acres and was inherited by Mr Murray in 1983.
His brother, Anthony, owns 16 acres adjoining the quarry site. Also a stonemason, he was a local Fianna Fáil county councillor in the 1980s, losing his seat in 1991. He is still very involved in the local Fianna Fáil organisation.
Mr Brian Gannon is not actively involved in politics. Since this summer he has been engaged in a joint venture (Glencarrig Products Ltd) with a local plant hire firm, Gannon Bros, to quarry the site.
Gannon Bros (Keelogues) is a plant hire and agricultural contracting firm established by brothers Alan and John Gannon, from Creggs, Co Roscommon. It has undergone considerable expansion in the last five years and has won a number of tenders for local authority work in neighbouring counties.