Pictured at the contract signing (back L-R) Pat Keating Priority Construction, Sean McKeown, Director of Services and Frank Stafford, A/Senior Engineer (front L-R) Colette Byrne, Chief Executive, Eoghan McCarthy, Priority Construction, Leas Cathaoirleach Andrew McGuinness, and Bernie Guinan, Fehily Timoney.

The contract for the Ballyragget Historic Landfill Remediation Scheme was awarded recently to Priority Construction Limited.

This former landfill is located 1.5km south-east of Ballyragget in the townland of Donaghmore. The site extents for circa.6 acres and was previously a sand and gravel quarry prior to its use as a municipal waste landfill by Kilkenny County Council in the 1980's.

Earlier this year funding was secured by Kilkenny Co. Council from the Department of Communication, Climate Action & Environment to advance to the remediation stage of this site. Following a tender process, consulting engineers, Fehily Timoney & Company were engaged by the Council to advance the remediation design, tender documents and contract administration. The remediation works tender was advertised in May 2019 and following a tender assessment the successful tenderer was recently appointed by the Council.

The remediation works will be undertaken in accordance with the design referenced in the EPA Certificate of Authorisation (EPA Ref. No. H0233-01). The main elements of the works include the excavation of existing cap material, the placement of a gas collection system and the installation of an LLDPE liner along with a sub-surface drainage system. On completion of this element of the works subsoil and topsoil will be imported to the site and placed as a final capping layer. The value of the project is in the region of €1.4million and works are due to commence early in September with a completion date in Quarter 1 of 2020.

Frank Stafford, A/Senior Engineer, Environment Section, expressed his delight that the Council is now in a position to commence with the remediation works and outlined that a major objective of this project was to eliminate any potential pollution source that could degrade the quality of ground water.