A Cement Roadstone-owned brick factory is the "probable" cause of pollution
on a Kilkenny farm afflicted by stunted cattle, dead trees and low milk
yields, the European Parliament has charged. MEPs investigated a petition
from Castlecomer farmer, Dan Brennan, over the last six months into his
charges that his 170-acre holding has been affected by emissions from the
nearby Ormonde brick factory. The company has always said that it operated
under licence and inspection by the Environmental Protection Agency.

"There exists enough tangible evidence available, linked to our own
on-the-spot assessment of the environment and the cattle concerned, to
indicate a probable or likely causal effect between the emissions from the
CRH brick factory and the affected cattle. Indeed since July a further
’downturn in thrive’ was observed subsequent to the above event," said the
MEPs, who produced the report on behalf of the European Parliament’s
Petitions Committee.

The Office of Environmental Enforcement based in Wexford, which has
responsibility for carrying out assessments, "has not proved to be very
forthcoming when asked to provide information".