Cootehill Area Development has said that it does not support an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in development near Cootehill town, despite having carried out a feasibility study for such a project in 2023.

A planning application for a large-scale agri-based AD plant is expected to be submitted to Cavan County Council shortly, with a local group campaigning strongly against it.

In a statement, Cootehill Area Development said that, as part of its wider sustainability programme, preliminary discussions took place with local industry and energy stakeholders regarding renewable gas and biomethane opportunities.

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In this context, a feasibility study on biomethane gas and AD was commissioned in March and funded through the Cavan Local Development LEADER Programme, while technical discussions were held with Gas Networks Ireland.

The statement said these interactions were exploratory and strategic in nature, forming part of broader national conversations around renewable gas infrastructure.

No support

The statement came after intense pressure from the Cootehill Biogas Concern Group, which demanded insight into and access to the feasibility study and its funding source.

The statement reads that “following discussion and consideration, Cootehill Area Development confirms that it does not support the proposed anaerobic digestion development now being progressed by an independent developer”.

Cootehill Area Development further confirms that it is not the developer of the proposed project, has no role in the planning application process, holds no financial, legal or operational interest in the development and has no involvement whatsoever beyond the previously completed feasibility study.

It said that individual members and directors remain free to engage personally if they so wish, as not all members or directors were present and no formal vote was taken at the recent meeting.

Projects

Cootehill and the nearby Drum are set to host two large-scale agri AD projects. In December, Stream BioEnergy Ireland submitted plans for a new large-scale AD plant at Maghernakelly, Monaghan, around 4km from Cootehill.

The proposed AD plant would process up to 99,000t of organic waste per year, with poultry manure accounting for between 80,000t and 99,000t of the total feedstock.

A planning application is also expected imminently from international developer CycleØ for a large-scale agricultural biomethane project in Cootehill.

CycleØ also has plants planned in Kildare, Limerick and Galway as part of a €100m investment in Ireland.