The Tánaiste has effectively ruled out any hopes of the Government invoking new planning powers to block the development of a €160m incinerator in Cork Harbour on grounds of national security.

The company planning to build a 240,000-tonne capacity incinerator in Cork Harbour has grossly underestimated the risk zone around its chimney stack, local campaigners have claimed.

The State spent €380,000 in 11 months maintaining the decommissioned LÉ Aisling, it has emerged.