March 17th, 2005

A Belfast firm has been given permission to create an asbestos storage facility near Crumlin in County Antrim, Ireland, and residents plan to fight the decision every step of the way. The government has granted permission for the firm to set up the facility. Over two hundred residents have already attended a meeting to discuss the matter and to determine how the decision can be fought and reversed.

The group that is fighting the government’s decision is known as the CAA (Crumlin Against Asbestos) group, and the group has already stated that the residents will not be giving up without battling it out with government officials. However, the government has responded by stating that the plant will pose no risk to peoples’ health.

The Chairman of the Crumlin Against Asbestos Group, Mr Michael Keating, stated: “We feel that we tried to be nice about it. We all wrote our objections to the planners and we were ignored and they dismissed us. They have no regard for local people. We want the decision to be reversed.”

The Environmental Minister shocked local residents last week after deciding that there was no reason to stop the facility from being created near the village. The facility will store the asbestos until it is able to be moved for disposal. The residents and CAA plan to continue their battle against the decision.