Controversial printing firm’ s pullout threat

November 1994

Bray was this week faced with the loss of up to 100 well paid industrial jobs following the revelation that a leading local firm is actively seeking to take its business elsewhere.

Confirming the position this week, the managing director of the print company, Lithographic Universal, said ongoing controversy over emissions from their factory at Dargle Road was forcing the move on them.

Mr McAlinden said he could not ‘rule in or out’ the possibility of a move away from Bray altogether, with the company looking at possible new sites throughout the greater Dublin area.

He said that as someone who was himself ‘ born and bred’ in Bray, he would be sorry if Lithographic had to leave the town.

But referring to a long-running campaign of protest by local residents over alleged air pollution by the company, he added, ‘it would appear we are not welcome here in Bray’.

He also said that a series of high profile attacks on the company by Senator Shane Ross ‘ had not helped’.

Mr McAlinden’s comments followed a civil prosecution by Wicklow County Council at Bray District Court last Tuesday which resulted in the company being fined £100 after pleading guilty to failing to comply with a notice issued by the local authority.

During the hearing, the company’s solicitor revealed they were proposing to close down and move out of their existing Bray plant and were actively seeking a new premises in conjunction with the IDA and the county Council.

There had been a number of emissions over the years but it was only with the introduction of new legislation in recent years that these had become illegal. It would cost approximately £500,000 to rectify the problem.

According to Dargle Valley Residents’ Association secretary Marie Molloy however, local people have been suffering the consequences of Lithographic’s emissions for the past 11 years and claimed that the rights of residents ‘seemed to evaporate when jobs are mentioned’.