Leitrim County Councillors have joined together to unanimously condemn the Environment Minister for granting of a precious metal prospecting license in the north of the county.
Fintridge Resources based in Omagh was successful in seeking a gold and silver prospecting license from the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communication, Eamonn Ryan last month.
A prospecting license allows the company to examine the region for deposits of valuable metals.
The license had been subject to strong backlash from both locals and councillors in North Leitrim.
Activists have argued that any license will lead to a mining application should a commercial deposit be found, and such operations could cause significant environmental damage.
At this months meeting of Leitrim County Council, each member lent their support to the Manorhamilton Municipal District councillors in their motion to condemn the Minister for granting the license.
Councillor Mary Bohan told Shannonside FM that locals in North Leitrim will not tolerate invasive mining in their region
''We're shocked and astounded that the minister has granted this license. And one of the reasons we're even more surprised is that up in the Sperrin mountains in Antrim, he was photographed up there supporting the people that were anti mining. And now he's the person that has granted the license. So we're sending a strong message, not only to the minister but to all Oireachtas members for this constituency, that the people in that area will not tolerate it and they don't want it''
