A Cavan-Monaghan TD Deputy Brendan has pressed Minister for the Environment, Eamon Ryan, on the Government's plans to devise a safety framework and regulation on the storage of batteries.
Deputy Smyth was following up on concerns by residents of two Cavan communities where planning permission has been granted for two large battery storage facilities in Shankill Lower and Pottle, Ballinagh.
Minister Ryan said he hopes to bring a new safety framework to government for approval "in the coming weeks".
Permission has been given to store batteries in 76 40ft containers at Shankill Lower and on eight and half acres at Pottle. Residents have lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanala citing safety and environmental concerns. Their research has shown that the storage of batteries worldwide has led to fires, release of flammable gases, thermal runaway and vapour cloud explosions.
The proposed facility on the L2035 in Shankhill Lower is within one kilometre of a church and two primary schools, 600 metres from a créche and three and a half kilometres from Cavan Town centre. Eleanor Davis lives in Shankhill Lower. She says residents are "terrified" and the safety framework drawn up by the Department of the Environment does not adequately address their concerns.
