Unlawful scrapyard faces investigation

A man who operated an illegal scrapyard has been asked to allow county council officials into his yard to ascertain if the premises is polluting streams in the area.

Hugh Moran of Kilmanaghan, Clara, Co. Offaly, appeared in Athlone District Court charged with three breaches of the Water Management Act 1996.

The court heard that the scrapyard had been shut down and that a 1.5 ft covering of soil had been removed and replaced with gravel.