Five deaths and risk of damages in legacy left by mines

FIVE workers died at the Lisheen and Galmoy lead and zinc mines in accidents and incidents over a decade and a half of operation.

A report also notes records of injuries at the mines are incomplete.

The issues are raised by consultants assessing the impact of the mines that operated in counties Tipperary and Kilkenny from the late 1990s until the mid-2010s.

They said property owners left out of pocket from damage caused by mining could struggle for compensation because of confusion over who was responsible for paying up.

They warned of “significant uncertainty” over future financial provision after a mining has ceased.

Modern mines, including Lisheen and Galmoy, are subject to 30-year closure plans, but there is no financial provision for damage, such as sinkholes, that can occur after that.

The report said most of the €13m provided by Galmoy as a ‘closure bond’ and most of the €24m from Lisheen had already been used.

“While a small amount was set aside for risk and contingency, temporary gaps in the financial provisions for the after-care period have been identified,” the report said.

The issue is being addressed as a “matter of urgency”, but it added: “There is still significant uncertainty regarding financial provisions for the post-aftercare period, and whether if an unexpected incident occurred in 50 years’ time, for example, there would be a mechanism to ensure that those funds are readily available.

“There is need for clarity on who the insurer of last resort would be in such an instance.”

Overall, the report found the mines benefited the local and national economy and their environmental impact was relatively low, as far as could be ascertained.

“It was not always possible to determine whether the mines had effects on their local environments, and in some habitats, such as water and peatland, it was not always possible to clearly separate the impact of mining activities from other environmental influences.”