By Business & Finance 
Bord na Móna has secured planning permission from Limerick County Council for a smokeless fuel plant in the port of Foynes.
The company is planning to substantially increase its range and supply of smokeless fuels to the Irish market and its new facility will manufacture up to 150,000 tonnes of smokeless and biomass home heating fuels.
Eddie Scaife, head of Fuels at Bord na Móna, said: “This is great news on a number of fronts. It’s good news generally for air quality in Ireland that we will be able to meet the future demand for smokeless, cleaner and greener fuels. Consumers will be able to choose Irish manufactured fuels with lower emissions. We are delighted to continue our support of the Limerick economy as the plant will generate 140 jobs during construction and a minimum of 60 jobs when it becomes operational.
“Right now we are shovel ready to start construction. This will allow us to meet market demand for smokeless fuel when the 2017 ban on smoky coal comes into place. This development is good for the environment, good for jobs and good for consumers. We look forward to moving on site in the coming weeks.”
The project will generate 140 jobs during the construction phase. The facility will also generate 60 jobs when it becomes operational, not including indirect employment arising from stevedoring, material handling and local haulage.
