This page sets out local concerns about the proposed expansion of tailings storage near Kilberry, including dam integrity, pipeline failures, water quality, dust and noise, traffic, and health and wellbeing. It explains why residents believe further independent scrutiny is needed before any new facility is considered.
Proposed new tailings facility
Despite previous assurances that there would be no further expansion of tailings storage in the area, plans have now emerged for a second tailings facility across the greenway from the existing facility, in the townlands of Sillogue and Simonstown. This has raised concern locally because residents had understood that additional tailings storage would not be developed in this area.
Dam integrity
The original dam, comprising stages 1 to 5, was constructed using the upstream method. Under this method, raised sections of the walls are built partly on deposited tailings. Because this construction method has been banned in many jurisdictions, residents are concerned about the long-term integrity of the structure. Work is currently underway to construct a buttress to strengthen the structure’s walls.
In recent years, an average of five to six major tailings-facility failures has occurred annually. One notable example was the 2019 disaster in Brazil, in which 270 people died. While each facility has its own design and risk profile, these failures show why communities need strong independent oversight, especially as extreme weather events become more frequent and more severe with climate change.
Pipeline failures and EPA Non-Compliances
The most recent waste-pipeline failure occurred in November 2025, following earlier incidents in 2016, 2020, and 2022. The EPA has also recorded at least 16 non-compliances under the facility’s current Industrial Emissions Licence, adding to local concern about the reliability of controls and oversight.
Water Quality
Water quality is also a concern. The original tailings facility was unlined, raising concerns about groundwater contamination, while the 2019 stage 6 extension used a polyethylene membrane. The Randalstown facility is less than 1.5 km from the Liscarton water treatment plant, which supplies Navan and surrounding areas, so residents want clear evidence that drinking-water sources are fully protected.
The mine discharges 4 to 5 billion litres of treated water annually into the Boyne and Blackwater rivers. Residents are concerned about the scale of this discharge and want transparent monitoring information to show that river quality is being protected over time.
The in-rush event of November 2021 caused a loss of water from wells in the Shambo and Robinstown areas, reinforcing local concern about how mine activity can affect groundwater and household water supplies.
Dust and Noise
Dust has often been seen being carried on the wind from the tailings site. People living close to the site are concerned about what this dust contains and whether it may affect their homes, gardens, livestock, crops, or health.
During construction phases, noise levels have at times disturbed residents, especially those downwind of the site. Reported sources include large construction machinery, slamming truck tailboards, rock breakers, and crushers.
Road Traffic
Residents in and around Kilberry, and those living near the tailings facility, have at times had to endure up to 40 articulated trucks per hour carrying mine rock or soil from greenfield sites in the greater Dublin area.
This traffic has continued through successive extensions, and buttress works over recent years. The stage 6 extension began in 2017 and ran until 2022; buttress works began in early 2025 and are expected to be completed in early 2027.
Meanwhile, a planning application is expected towards the end of 2026 for a new facility, beginning the cycle over again.
Road users have reported several near-miss incidents, including damaged wing mirrors, aggressive driving, road rage, speeding, vehicles cutting corners, and debris left on the road.
In February 2018, a fully laden truck overturned at a bend in the road in Sillogue, causing the road to be closed to clear the accident.
Health & Wellbeing
Although it is difficult to establish whether disease rates are higher in the area, people living near the mine and tailings facility have expressed concerns about their health and wellbeing, including reported cases of cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Residents are seeking reassurance through transparent monitoring, independent assessment, and clear communication about any potential risks.