Big interview with Tim Cullinan the man behind the proposed Ballymackey biogas plant

Following the public meeting in Toomevara Parish Hall on Thursday, October 30, concerning proposals for an industrial-scale biogas plant in Woodville, Ballymackey, the Tipperary Star interviewed the person spearheading the project Tim Cullinan, former president of the IFA.

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The proposed facility, which is an anaerobic digestion plant, uses microorganisms to break down organic waste, like food scraps, agricultural slurry and wastewater sludge, in the absence of oxygen. This process produces two main by-products, biogas (a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide) and digestate.

The biogas can be used to generate heat and electricity or be upgraded to biomethane for use as a renewable natural gas, while the digestate is a nutrient rich material that can be used as a fertiliser.

Mr Cullinan clarified that the proposal for this specific plant will take in 200,000 tonnes of animal by-product from local farms as well as nearby dairy and beef processors. He further emphasised that “the gas will be captured in a sealed environment filtered through a cleaning system and pumped into the National Gas Network which can then be used for the heating of up to 9,000 houses in the locality.”

Furthermore, Mr Cullinan believes that this facility will be of benefit to local farmers by enabling them to process up to 30% of their slurry rather than constructing additional slurry tanks.

Reflecting on the wider national context there are currently several large-scale anaerobic digestion projects currently in development across Ireland, reflecting the country’s push toward renewable energy.

Annaholty Green Energy near Birdhill, county Tipperary, has submitted an application for two primary digesters and one secondary tank, currently at the pre-validation stage. Nephin Renewable Gas near Ballinrobe, county  Mayo, has received planning permission to process around 90,000  tonnes of feedstock per year, with operations expected to begin in 2026.

Meanwhile, Nua Bioenergy Limited is developing a facility on the former Lisheen mine site in Moyne, county Tipperary, for which planning permission has already been granted for four primary digester tanks.

Government support has previously been available for such projects. The €40 million Biomethane Capital Grant scheme offered up to 20% of investment costs for eligible plants, demonstrating government backing for the development of renewable energy from agricultural and food-industry by-products.

Looking ahead, a second round of biomethane capital grants is expected to operate from 2026 to 2030, funded through a €500 million allocation from the National Development Plan’s Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund. 

While full eligibility criteria and per-project allocations are yet to be finalised, the scheme signals continued government support for renewable energy projects. The upcoming Renewable Heat Obligation, expected to take effect in 2026, will further incentivise biomethane production by creating guaranteed demand for renewable heat.

However, at the recent public meeting in Toomevara, serious concerns were expressed regarding the impact of this project on the local community. In a statement to the Tipperary Star, The Ballymackey Biogas Concern Group outlined their concerns regarding the scale of the project; serious issues regarding the unsuitability of the current road infrastructure; underestimation of the volume of HGV traffic; potential pollution of the River Ollatrim; odours and property devaluation.

The group stated “with over 200 people in attendance, the meeting clearly showed that the local community, as well as the politicians in attendance including Deputies Alan Kelly, Michael Lowry and Ryan O’Meara were overwhelmingly in agreement that Ballymackey is the wrong location for an industrial scale biogas plant of the size being proposed, given the impact that it would have on our community.

Local representation was animated and engaged and the message was clear: the local community is vehemently opposed to this application to An Coimisiún Pleanála”. Furthermore the group stated that “there were serious concerns regarding the figures presented by the developer’s consultants claiming that there would be only 21 HGVs per day, five days a week”.

Contesting these figures the group claim that a facility processing 200,000 tonnes per annum would result in a much larger volume of traffic.

In the group’s statement they highlighted the key issues addressed by the local politicians; Deputy Alan Kelly, former Minister for the Environment and Climate Change noted “it would have been better if the meeting had been held months ago to answer the questions of locals. He argued there should be more transparency in this process.

Deputy Kelly noted Gas Networks Ireland have been approached and this project is at an advanced stage. This project should go to Tipperary County Council, not An Coimisiún Pleanála. Frankly, he said, the Government has had enough time to prepare the framework for planning and the fact it remains outstanding is beyond him, and investors are rushing to put these in before the framework is in place.

The range of issues that members have highlighted in terms of health and safety and environment, and how the road infrastructure can cope with this scaling up, and these need to be answered.”

Independent TD Michael Lowry said: “In principle, Tim, your proposal is right, but the location is wrong.” He said he will be making a submission on behalf of the Lowry Team to An Coimisiún Pleanála that will reflect the views of the meeting. 

Several speakers from the audience expressed profound dismay at the potential impact on local life. Others challenged the financial benefits for the developer at the expense of the community: “What do we get? Smell, traffic, and the loss of everything we’ve worked for - our homes, our fresh air, our peace.” 

Another speaker added: “We built our homes here. We raised our families. We’re not in a position to move, and now our livelihoods are at stake.” Throughout the meeting there was clear dissatisfaction that the concerns of the local community had not been addressed in the formulation of the proposal.

In response to the concerns expressed with specific relation to the unsuitability of the current road infrastructure Mr Cullinan told the Tipperary Star that he acknowledged “that this was a huge bone of contention at the meeting in Toomevara, there has been a lot of discussion around the volume of traffic, there will be 21 trucks coming into the facility five days a week.”

So there will be 21 trucks coming into the facility and leaving the facility each day, which equates to 42 movements per day. Mr Cullinan also stated that “we have already conducted a traffic survey in the area and the outcome of that traffic survey was that there will be minimal disruption to the traffic flow within the area.” 

Furthermore, Mr Cullinan added that “we are and will be in discussion with Tipperary County Council if there are pinch points on the road, and that those areas can be redeveloped.” He emphasised that he understands the concerns of people in relation to this issue, “we will do everything we can to address the situation around traffic in the local area.”

In response to issues around water pollution it is Mr Cullinan’s opinion that the proposed plant will actually minimize this issue as the plant will be processing a significant amount of slurry from the local area which would otherwise be spread on the land.

At this point the plan is at the first stage with further discussions with the planners in An Coimisiún Pleanála prior to the lodgement of the official application. The results of these deliberations will be eagerly awaited by the local community and the local political representatives  in the area.

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