Revealed: The Irish factory with emissions so high that Al Gore put it on his naughty list
Mannok’s Co Cavan cement factory generates so much greenhouse gas that it is listed as Ireland’s eighth biggest emitter on Al Gore’s Climate Trace website.
The independent tracker attributed nearly 650,000 tonnes of C02 to the Ballyconnell facility in 2024 – equivalent to the electricity emissions from almost one million homes.
But, according to Cavan County Council’s first Climate Action Plan, Mannok plans to decarbonise cement production and power its facilities by building a “renewable energy valley”, including local green hydrogen production.
The company, formerly part of Seán Quinn’s empire, would not offer a spokesperson when asked for an interview about its plans, but a spokesperson for Cavan County Council said it has a “strong working relationship with Mannok and has met with and been kept briefed with regard to Mannok’s decarbonisation plans”.
“The local authority has taken account of these efforts in its Climate Action Plan,” they added.
Former US vice president Al Gore at Cop29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo: Reuters
According to the action plan: “The removal of close to half-a-million tonnes of CO2 per annum will not only have a substantial impact on the county’s emissions reduction requirements, but will also provide for vast co-benefits in the areas of employment, air quality, clean energy and economic prosperity.”
While they appear to be working to cut energy and production emissions, Mannok and the council have come under fire over a quarry application that could destroy another vital tool in the fight against climate change: Aughaweenagh Fartrin bog.
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The Irish Peatland Restoration Council says raised bogs are a “unique feature of the Irish landscape” and “an important store of carbon, helping to control greenhouse gases”.
West Cavan Bogs Association’s Paddy Gilroy, a Save Ballyheady supporter, said “Cavan County Council leant over backwards to accommodate Mannok in its planning application for the quarry”.
“We made 100 submissions against this quarry,” he said. “It was completely going to obliterate our raised bogs, which are very precious.
“There’s two bogs in Cavan up to this level: Kilconny Bog in east Cavan and our bog, Aughaweenagh Fartrin bog.
“If you have a good active bog with active stagnant moss, carbon will be stored indefinitely."
Have they given up on the planning application or have they not?
Submissions to the council about the quarry application outlined concerns about the impact it could have on the protected Lough Oughter, as well as on Upper and Lower Lough Erne.
An Taisce and other groups raised the issue of Aughaweenagh Fartrin bog, which is northeast of the site and could be damaged if the quarry, itself proposed on peatland, was allowed to go ahead.
While the planning application was withdrawn, resubmitted and then withdrawn again, locals are concerned Mannok will “probably pursue it again”.
“There's always ongoing debate here among the locals,” Mr Gilroy said. “‘Have they given up on the planning application or have they not?’”
In the meantime, volunteers have been working to restore the bog, having won funding from the local Credit Union.
Mr Gilroy added: “Leader [an EU funding programme] are very keen to give us funding for this project, so it would make no sense for Cavan County Council to grant the application for a quarry immediately adjacent to it.”
Mannok did not respond to requests for a comment. A council spokesperson said: “It is not appropriate for Cavan County Council to comment on individual cases.”