THE Office of Public Works (OPW) has not yet established a working group to deal with tonnes of toxic waste dumped in Cork harbour – more than three months after being directed to do so by Environment Minister John Gormley.

A CLAIM has been made that allegedly toxic waste from the former Irish Ispat site could have contaminated a wider area than Cork harbour, as some of it was transported by lorry to Dublin for export.

THE Government’s decision to close Irish Fertiliser Industries with the loss of 620 jobs last night sparked a furious row over whether the firm could have been saved.

SIPTU has called for an urgent review of redundancy legislation following a number of high-profile blows to the Irish jobs market.

The parent company of the Irish ISPAT plant in Co Cork has told trade union officials that they have rejected the proposed rescue package for the steel works.