IRELAND’S NATIONAL TRUST An Taisce has raised objections to planning permission for a factory in Donegal as it would only by accessible by car.

The five employees that would be working there would be required to drive – thus creating greenhouse gasses and damaging the environment.

This relates to an application by Michael McCloskey, owner of Algaran Teo, which is seeking permission to build a seaweed cosmetic factory next to the house where its current factory is located.

The company makes its products from locally harvested seaweed.

The development would increase the use of cars in the area as there is limited public transportation.

In their objection to Donegal County Council, An Taisce said that there is “a lack of justification on behalf of the the applicant to develop this site” and put this down to it being “outside any defined settlement pattern and would be contrary to proper planning and sustainability practices”.

It states also that allowing the development could set a precedent for further dispersed development in areas that require the use of private transport.

Speaking today on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Eunan Mac Cuinneagáin, board member of Údarás na Gaeltachta – the regional body responsible for the development of the Gaeltacht, said, “We all agree that the environment must be protected, but I don’t think this type of thing is helpful. It’s unbelievable. What are we going to do, close down all Gaeltacht areas because people are using cars? It’s unbelievable.”

Maybe this is a decision made by someone in an office in a city somewhere, where there is public transport to get people to work … but that’s not the case in rural areas.

He went on to say that he would be raising the matter at a meeting of Údarás na Gaeltachta and hoped that the body could make clear the importance of the project going ahead.