Residents and businesses have been ‘assaulted’ by an overwhelming smell in South Inishowen, according to Donegal Senator Padraig MacLochlainn.
The issue of the smell emanating from Grianan Estate in Burt was brought before the Seanad yesterday, as Senator MacLochlainn said there is ‘absolute outrage’ over recent developments.
Senator MacLochlainn urged the Minister for Agriculture and the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to intervene and make legislative changes to address the problem.
He said that everybody’s home is ‘devastated’ by the smell that has come from the spreading of digestate at the farm.
“A confirmation day was totally ruined in the local hotel because the smell was utterly overwhelming and suffocating. We had a situation recently where somebody was holding a wake for their loved one and the house was overcome,” Senator MacLochlainn said.
The Sinn Fein Senator said that the wider community is outraged by the dramatic change to the landscape in a much loved area.
“Rural people who live in these areas are used to slurry spreading and farming practices going back as far as anybody can remember. They are not people who would have any difficulty with that. However, the smell of ammonia is just an assault on a large area of south Inishowen,” he said.
Senator MacLochlainn called for official action on the issue: “The Ministers have to pull together with the EPA, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Donegal County Council to solve this problem on behalf of the local community and hold this business to account for what is an assault. It might be technically legal to do what they are doing but it is utterly unethical to do what they are doing right now and it has to stop.”
Meanwhile, a public meeting is taking place in Burt Hall this Thursday (11th July) at 8pm for local residents to express their views.
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