Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ballinasloe is a town that has a population of more than 6,500 people. We are again facing another application for a permit to allow a waste transfer station to be located in the town. This means that hundreds of trucks would be driven through the centre of Ballinasloe town to reach the location. Somehow it was considered okay for 30-, 15- and 10-tonne trucks to be driven through built-up areas and driven past schools, a hospital and playgrounds. Being a member of the Ballinasloe Says No campaign was how I got started in public representation. We fought the application three years ago and went to the High Court where we won on judicial review under the habitats directive. Unfortunately, we must fight it again during a time of lockdown. I wish to highlight to people that we will hold a public online Zoom meeting on Tuesday, 17 November at 8 p.m. Anyone can register, get involved and find out about what is happening at: ballinasloesaysno@gmail.com. People can also contact us on any of our Facebook and Instagram pages.

As well as being a Senator, I am the secretary and public relations officer, PRO, for the group because the issue is so important to me. It is important because it impacts on air pollution in the town with hundreds of diesel-powered trucks passing through and affects the health of the people who live in the area.

I ask my senatorial colleagues for their support. I am happy to note that most of the public representatives in counties Roscommon and Galway, including Senator Eugene Murphy, support our objection that we will submit. We have 25 working days to ensure that Galway County Council and its environment section hear our voice and understand that locating a waste transfer station in Ballinasloe, thus lead to hundreds of trucks being driven through the town is not possible, not feasible and will not be accepted.