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LOUTH COUNTY COUNCIL has granted planning permission for a “state of the art” hot dip galvanising plant on the outskirts of Drogheda that will lead to the creation of 110 jobs.
The Council has granted planning permission to Co Meath firm, Hibernia Steel (Manufacturing) Ltd despite a contemplative order of nuns raising concerns that the proposed steel processing plant will detrimentally affect the order’s essential “prayful atmosphere”.
The plant at Mell, Drogheda which involves large-scale dipping tanks, will process 36,000 tonnes of steel per annum.
The proposal faced local opposition with 60 submissions lodged with Louth County Council and objectors now have the option of appealing the decision to An Bord Pleanala.
The company lodged the application last May after the IDA confirmed that it had agreed to sell, subject to contract, eight acres of land at Mell, Drogheda to Hibernia.
The Council has granted planning after concluding that the proposed development supports Drogheda’s role as Regional Growth Centre and will deliver 110 jobs.
The planner in the case stated that he was satisfied the proposed location is a suitable one to cater for the development with existing road infrastructure in place, served by an excellent road providing access to the M1.
In a submission, Prioress at the Dominican Contemplative Nuns, Sr M Breda Carroll raised concerns over the plan on behalf of her order.
The Dominican Contemplative Nuns are based at the Monastery of St Catherine of Siena at The Twenties, Drogheda.
The monastery’s 8.5 acre site lies to the east of the planned steel plant site and in the submission, Sr Breda told the Council “we are concerned that this plant would seriously and detrimentally affect our way of life and the present prayful atmosphere, which is essential to us”.
Sr Breda told the planners “we live our whole life within the confines of the monastery boundaries, a fact which heightens the importance of this space for us”.
She added “maintaining a quiet, peaceful atmosphere in the monastery and its surroundings is also of vital importance for many people who avail of our retreat facilities and visit our chapel”.
Sr Breda told the Council that “we are concerned that the relative proximity of this plant will result in noise and air pollution in our area, especially since the prevailing winds tend to be from the west”.
The Prioress added: “We also wish to express the concern that it is inappropriate to situate such a plant in close proximity to an area that is set to become highly residential.”
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God works in mysterious ways in Drogheda.
He closes a hotel and opens a steel plant.
@Patrick Presley: Steel plants are needed too.
@Patrick Presley: Reading the article, it’s not a steel plant, it’s to hot dip galvanise steel. And God didn’t close the hotel in Drogheda either!
The mystery deepens….
@Toyo Ke: A bit of poetic license linking God and the nuns.
@Patrick Presley: Ah sure we’ll accept a bit of that being the weekend n all
@Brendan O’Brien: you surely mean “instead”
Might be afraid another grave yard will be discovered during construction
@Larry O Reilly: The average number of deaths over the 36-year period was just over 22 a year. The information recorded on these State- issued certificates has been seen by The Irish Times; the children are marked as having died variously of tuberculosis, convulsions, measles, whooping cough, influenza, bronchitis and meningitis, among other illnesses. The deaths of these 796 children are not in doubt. Their numbers are a stark reflection of a period in Ireland when infant mortality in general was very much higher than today, particularly in institutions, where infection spread rapidly. At times during those 36 years the Tuam home housed more than 200 children and 100 mothers, plus those who worked there, according to records Corless has found..”
@thomas molloy: What has upset, confused and dismayed her in recent days is the speculative nature of much of the reporting around the story, particularly about what happened to the children after they died. “I never used that word ‘dumped’,” she says again, with distress. “I just wanted those children to be remembered and for their names to go up on a plaque. That was why I did this project, and now it has taken [on] a life of its own
@thomas molloy: but still how can you excuse putting the dead babies in tanks? Feck off
@Nollaig Adderley: You should know that this initial story is widely disputed, and the death rate was similar to densely populated communities elsewhere.
Just search for -tuam babies in septic tanks
- or maybe, don’t bother if you want to ignore facts and just indulge yourself in rants.
Many nuns devoted their lives to helping others.
What have you done?
@thomas molloy: Don’t confuse the permanently outraged by quoting complicated facts that their brain is incapable of absorbing.
@Thomas Sheridan: Thanks. It’s important that those who have slapped down almost everyone don’t cancel out reality and unbiased opinion
Well done , the area needs more job offers.
Where are all those mysterious objectors around the country,who object to me putting in a fenced yard to prevent my neighbour from acquiring my site by adverse possession.,parking his trailers and planting bushes and dumping old trees etc.Its a strange world we live in and I’m a widow, heading for 86.!!!!
Some of the planning decisions and in fact a lot of the decisions by Louth CC in the South of the county defy logic and leave a lot to be desired!!
They were having nun of it
Holy unacceptable
I’m pretty sure that site is beside that new stretch of road opened so makes sense. Probably only the start of the construction out that area, welcome to them all if they are bringing jobs.
Aren’t the USA great…… supply the one side with the bombs to level the place and then being the heroes dropping aid as Joe says we need to do more.
Cabbage-head won’t like that, not eco-friendly!
Ain’t seen a mickey dodger in years around my neck o the woods not even an auld wan
have your say