EPA Prosecutes Liffey Meats (Cavan) Limited & Director

On the 17th June 2004 at Ballyjamesduff District Court, Liffey Meats Limited was convicted of four charges under Sections 8 and 84(2) of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 after the company had breached conditions of its Integrated Pollution Control licence.

The company admitted breaching licence conditions by discharging effluent to waters outside set licence limits, not providing an impenetrable surface area nor constructing bunding for storing tank and drums, not notifying the EPA of a breakdown of monitoring equipment and failing to submit an Annual Environmental Report.

The company’s Director also pleaded guilty to a charge, regarding the failure by the company to comply with licence limits for emissions to water.

In pleading guilty to four of eight charges, the court directed the company to make a payment of €1,000 to Cavan Hospice whilst awarding costs totalling €11,689 to the EPA. In relation to the company's Director, the court noted the conviction but gave the benefit of the Probation Act.

The Environmental Manager for the company made an undertaking to the court that there would be no repetition of the offences and that the integrity of the environment would be respected.

The company, located just outside the town of Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, is a slaughtering facility and is licensed for the slaughter of cattle.

The Office of Environmental Enforcement (OEE) took the prosecution in light of the results of its own sampling and analysis of emissions to water as well as site investigations by the Office.