The plant, sited near the Knock Marian Shrine, will also pump out tonnes of sulphur dioxide EVERY DAY - this is the gas that produces acid rain.
That's not to mention the dangerous dust. The plant will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will require constant arrival and departure of heavy lorries in a densely populated rural area.
The plant will cost about 50 million and will have a turnover of roughly 50 million a year. The developer is a local businessman called Frank Harrington. Frank was the main contractor for Knock Airport, and he also supplied the concrete for the Basilica at Knock, which is mostly made out of concrete.
The plan was at first welcomed by locals: 200 jobs were promised in a press release by Jim Higgins. But as the people started looking into it, they found that in the official Environmental Impact Study (EIS), Harrington mentioned only 120 jobs. Many of them will be specialised - the construction is being undertaken by a German firm. And because the plant will be very highly automated, it will be producing cement cheaper than existing CRH plants elsewhere, leading to certain job losses. An opinion poll done by campaigners showed that half of local people thought there would be less than 50 jobs at the plant.
The site is just over a mile from Knock airport: A 270 foot chimney so near an airport must be a problem, and the Department of Transport is looking into it.
The residents are meeting Mayo County Councillors on Monday, and hope the councillors will use their powers to stop the planning go ahead. A public meeting is planned.
