Campaign against meat plant’s Boyne waste water pipe plan reignited

Local Boyne Valley residents and the Save the Boyne group have intensified their campaign to prevent Dawn Meats from dumping their commercial waste water into the Boyne.

Dawn Meats in Beauparc has responded to a further information request on their planning application, thereby reactivating the planning process for the controversial pipeline.

The company has sought permission for the construction of an industrial pipeline running from their site at Beauparc to discharge treated wastewater into the river Boyne at the Cotton Mills.

The proposal has met with fierce local opposition - 414 submissions were received during the public consultation of the application.

Residents, local politicians, business owners, angling groups and Slane Castle owner Lord Henry Mountcharles have all spoken out against the plans.

A Facebook page set up to highlight the issue called ‘Save the Boyne’ where many locals have voiced their anger at the plans currently has over 8,000 followers.

A petition on change.org with the same title has received nearly 6000 signatures.

Tommy Martin, a local resident in Yellow Furze who founded the Save the Boyne campaign said: “The Boyne is not for profit. This is our river. It does not belong to profits or industry, it belongs to us, our children and the people of Ireland.”

Dawn Meats recently submitted the requested further information and the Save the Boyne group and local residents are now studying it and are preparing for a new round of submissions. The group is also planning further actions to raise awareness of this threat to our river system.

They say Dawn Meats have so far refused to respond to the campaign’s requests for dialogue.

Save the Boyne are putting out a call to concerned members of the public to get involved in the campaign to protect the river. Campaign member Elaine Ní Chiardha urges, “If we come together, inform ourselves and raise public awareness, we can ensure that our river is protected for future generations.”

In March 2021, the Dawn Meats abbatoir and meat packing plant in Beauparc near Ardmulchan applied to Meath County Council for planning permission to extend their operations, including building a 7km waste water pipeline from their plant into the River Boyne.

The Save the Boyne group point out that the river is designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and also a Special Protected Area (SPA) under the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations. This grants the river and its environs special protection from any potentially harmful development. The current water quality standard is rated poor, and the country is under legal obligation to reach a good standard by 2027, or we will face fines.

“The Boyne River and its environs are a protected eco-system under EU and national law. It is a well-loved amenity, providing walks and opportunities for fishing, canoeing and swimming,” says Elaine Ní Chiardha.