Kildare Chilling Company, a meat plant outside Kildare town, was convicted of eight out of nine environmental offences brought by the Environmental Protection Agency and fined £8,000.
At Kildare District Court the maximum fine of £1,000 for each conviction was imposed. A company director was also required to enter a bond of £9,000 in the event of an appeal. Costs of £18,026 were awarded in full to the EPA.
The company was convicted of:
providing false and misleading information to the EPA on certain dates in 1999;
non-notification of emissions which did not comply with its integrated pollution control licence;
failing to ensure all materials awaiting disposal were collected and stored in designated areas protected against spillage and leachate run-off;
permitting an unauthorised emission of environmental significance to a sewer.
Kildare Chilling contested all charges. A spokesperson for the plant was not available yesterday.
A butcher, Michael Durnin (42), of Lower Main Street, Dunleer, Co Louth, pleaded guilty at Dunleer District Court to two summonses brought by the Minister for Agriculture. They related to the use of a premises at Lower Main Street, Dunleer, as an abattoir without holding an abattoir licence, and to selling or supplying meat for human consumption which did not bear a health mark in accordance with the Abattoirs Act.
Judge Murrough Connellan convicted him and imposed £100 fines on each summons.
