Residents in South Inishowen are being urged to attend a public meeting on Thursday to voice their opinions over the ongoing stench coming from the Grianan Estate.
Concern has been raised in recent weeks over the continued spreading of digestate in the 2,500-acre area with home and business owners suffering as a result.
It is understood that hundreds of homes in the area have been affected by the smell and resident have decided to take matters into their own hands by calling a meeting in Burt Hall on Thursday at 8pm.
Inishowen councillor, Jack Murray said the current situation was far from acceptable and that it was about time the spreading of digestate in the area was stopped completely.
He told Donegal Daily: “I think the people in South Inishowen have really reached the end of their tether because the spreading had only stopped at the weekend temporarily for a funeral.
“What these people are forced to endure is disgraceful, to say the least,” he added.
“I had a woman on to be this morning who has cancer and is currently receiving treatment and she said once that smell returns she has no appetite and she feels much sicker.
“I’ve had another resident, who is a parent and has a child with lung problems, and they can’t let their child outside to play, they are locking their windows and doors and it is still getting through to the house and that child is feeling ill.
“It much more than an inconvenience at this stage, it is affecting peoples lives.”
Murray said the current aim was to stop the smell in the region completely, with the Finn Valley company having applied for machinery that would turn the digestate into pellets – eliminating the smell.
The Inishowen councillor continued: “I think the companies current plans will be a solution but I think at the moment they just need to stop spreading.
“I think the people in that area need that commitment. I understand that they have a solution and that is great but, at the minute, this is affecting peoples lives.”
The Sinn Fein councillor has urged residents to attend the meeting on Thursday and make their views known on the matter.
“There are hundreds of families that have been affected by this and I think people need to come out and voice their anger.
“I have been bombarded with people contacting me and I would encourage them to come out and voice their frustration with this issue, it must be stopped at this stage.”
