Council aware of toxic hotspots, says objector

CORK County Council was aware of “toxic hotspots” around the county but did not reveal this to the public because there was no legal requirement on them to do so, an oral hearing into the draft licence for Ireland’s first toxic waste incinerator at Ringaskiddy in Co Cork heard yesterday.

Robert Allen, an objector to the incinerator, said that he asked Cork County Council in the early 1990s if they were aware that there were toxic hotspots in Cork harbour.

“Cork County Council’s then chief environmental officer, Iain MacLean, told me in an off the record briefing that the council was aware of all the toxic hotspots that exist, but he was not in a position to reveal them because there was no legal requirement to do it,” Mr Allen told the oral hearing.