Dunbia expansion plans on hold

Dunbia's expansion plans for the Clara Road in Kilbeggan are on hold this week after Westmeath County Council voted against a material contravention of the County Development Plan that would have allowed Dunbia to construct an abattoir as part of its €12m expansion plan. Just 16 of the council's 23 councillors came out in favour of the material convention at Monday's council meeting, but 17 votes were needed for the material convention to be allowed. Despite the firm's warning that it would move its entire operation to its factory in Slane with the loss of 200 jobs to the Kilbeggan area the council voted against the material convention. Seven councillors (Gabrielle McFadden, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Joe Whelan, Peter Burke, Joe Flanagan, Denis Leonard and Ger Corcoran) went against County Manager Danny McLoughlin's recommendation to approve the material contravention. In the wake of the decision, Dunbia's Mr Padraic Browne said he was "extremely disappointed" that the council had voted not to support Dunbia's planning application, which would, he said, have enabled Dunbia to consolidate its Irish operations in Kilbeggan. "We needed 75% of councillors to vote in support of our development in order to progress the planning application, but unfortunately we lost out by only one vote." He said that the firm is this week taking some time to consider its options. "No decision has been made at this time on whether Dunbia will appeal the council's decision, or progress with a planning application to consolidate the business in Slane, county Meath," he said. The council chambers have been the scene of many important meetings over the years, but few, in recent years at least, have had the significance of Monday afternoon's. In recent weeks councillors were inundated with representations from those in favour of and those opposing the development, and it seemed that quite a few, from both sides, turned up for the council debate, and the public gallery was a lot fuller than usual.