A lawsuit has been initiated in the High Court by a carpenter called Mark Callan, alleging that he was exposed to a toxic chemical while employed at the Intel Ireland plant, resulting in severe and lifelong chronic asthma. His case, presented by Senior Counsel Barney Quirke on Thursday, included allegations that a group of 17 colleagues who were part of the pop out crew at Intel’s Leixlip facility in County Kildare also exhibited symptoms indicative of chemical exposure including asthma, headaches and vomiting around a decade ago. The chemical in question, Penatron, was purportedly blended using a rudimentary bucket system which Quirke described as “primitive and Dickensian”.
Following these allegations, Quirke claimed the blending system was updated to include jugs and a trolley, with a third pump mechanism introduced in December 2014 that matched US standards, proven to be significantly safer. Severe concerns arose in January 2014 when Callan was admitted to hospital with unknown reasons, presenting symptoms akin to Penatron exposure, igniting further fears among the crew at the plant.
Quirke further claimed that despite a chemical alarm regularly sounding, particularly during peak work times, operations continued at the factory instead of shutting it down. Now 50, Mark Callan of Ballyoran, Dundalk, County Louth, is suing his former employer Ardmac Ltd, which is based at Swords Business Campus, Balheary Road, Swords in County Dublin, as well as Intel Ireland Ltd with registered offices at Simmonscourt House, Ballsbridge, Dublin, and Intel Ltd based at Collinstown Industrial Park, Leixlip.
Mr Callan contends that he was subjected to hazardous and harmful chemicals such as Penatron/ASTC 3003c for over a year from July 2013 to August 2014, purportedly while executing tasks at the Intel facility. It is also alleged that a lack of concern was shown for the working system which supposedly led to Mr Callan and his colleagues being continuously exposed to a sensitising agent, subsequently developing signs believed to be associated with harmful chemical exposure. The symptoms allegedly experienced by Mr Callan and his fellow employees are reported to have lessened during periods away from the work environment. Ardmac and Intel, however, rebuff all accusations and comprehensive defences have been lodged, as was informed to Ms Justice Denise Brett. The proceeding case is anticipated to extend over a span of three weeks.