Hearing Date: April 01, 2025
On 1st April 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency prosecuted Galway City Council, Carrowbrowne, Headford Road, County Galway at Galway District Court.
Galway City Council pleaded guilty to breaches of conditions of its Waste Licence W0013-01 by:
• Failing on or about the 5th of March 2024 to comply with Condition 3.14.1(a), in that they failed to prevent contaminated water and leachate discharging to surface water drains and courses.
• Failing on or about the 5th of March 2024 to comply to Condition 6.1, in that they failed to ensure that there were no emissions of environmental significance from the Carrowbrowne Landfill Site, namely elevated levels of Biochemical Oxygen Demand from the Western Boundary - Manhole A Drain.
• Failing on or about the 5th of March 2024 to comply with Condition 6.1, in that they failed to ensure that there were no emissions of environmental significance from the Carrowbrowne Landfill Site, namely elevated levels of Biochemical Oxygen Demand from the Northern Boundary – SW C Northern Fence.
• Failing on or about the 9th of March 2024 to comply with Condition 11.2(c), in that they failed to notify Inland Fisheries Ireland as soon as practicable of the occurrence of an incident relating to contaminated discharges to surface water.
• Failing on or about the 11th of March 2024 to comply with Condition 11.1(f), in that they failed to submit to the Environmental Protection Agency Monitoring of Surface Water Quality for Quarter One 2024 as set out in Schedule E of the said licence.
• Failing on or about the 11th of October 2024 to comply with Condition 11.1(f), in that they failed to submit to the Environmental Protection Agency Monitoring of Groundwater Quality for Quarter Three 2024 as set out in Schedule E of the said licence.
• Failing on or about the 13th of January 2025 to comply with Condition 11.1(f), in that they failed to submit to the Environmental Protection Agency Monitoring of Leachate for Quarter Four 2024 as set out in Schedule E of the said licence.
Judge Harris convicted Galway City Council on all charges and imposed fines totalling €15,000. Agency costs were also agreed.