Aughinish alumina project under survey by Environment Protection Agency

A Clare-based environmental group is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reassess the potential ecological impact of a new development on the Shannon Estuary.

The EPA recently granted Aughinish Alumina a new licence to extend its dredging operations near Foynes Port, permitting the dumping of dredged material at a newly designated site close to Foynes Island.

Futureproof Clare has voiced strong opposition to the renewal of the permit, warning that it could result in the disposal of an amount of potentially contaminated muddy sand equivalent to 5,000 double-decker buses annually. Campaign spokesperson Sinéad Sheehan has urged the EPA to exercise greater due diligence in its oversight of the development.

In response to a query from Clare FM, the EPA confirmed it had issued a Dumping at Sea Permit, with conditions, to Aughinish Alumina Limited. The permit allows for the loading and dumping at sea of 453,075 tonnes of dredged material, arising from maintenance dredging near the marine jetty at the Aughinish Alumina facility on Aughinish Island, Askeaton, County Limerick.

Covering the period up to December 2032, the permit includes more than 60 individual conditions addressing environmental management, operational controls, and activity monitoring. The EPA added that public participation and consultations with statutory consultees had been carried out during the assessment process.

To ensure compliance, the agency stated it will monitor and enforce these conditions through environmental audits, unannounced site visits and systematic checks.