Incinerator proposal ‘should be left to State’

THE company planning to build the country’s first toxic waste incinerator at Ringaskiddy in Co Cork yesterday said Defence Minister Willie O’Dea should leave the matter to the State and judicial agencies responsible for it.

Indaver Ireland was responding to Mr O’Dea’s statement that the proposed site for the €93 million toxic waste incinerator seemed “inappropriate”.

Indaver Ireland general manager John Ahern said Mr O’Dea was entitled to his opinion but a series of State agencies had responsibility for dealing with the planning aspect of the proposal.

“It is the subject of a judicial review and the courts are adjudicating on the matter,” Mr Ahern added.

Mr O’Dea and Junior Environment Minister Batt O’Keeffe had stressed they were expressing personal opinions when they said the Ringaskiddy site was inappropriate, an Indaver spokeswoman said.

“Minister O’Dea did not give a reason why he personally thought the site was inappropriate, however, An Bord Pleanála, the Health and Safety Authority and the EPA all believe that it is an appropriate site,” the spokeswoman added.

She said these were the State agencies with the necessary expertise required to adjudicate on these matters.

Indaver said it was pleased that both ministers believe incineration is a necessary part of Ireland’s overall waste management strategy.

“The company accepts that it would be very difficult to find a site for any type of waste facility that everyone would think was appropriate,” she said.

Mr O’Dea could not be reached for comment yesterday but his spokeswoman said he stood over the comments.

Meanwhile, Green Party Deputy Dan Boyle questioned where Government policy on incineration stands with two ministers saying they believe the Cork site is inappropriate.

The Cork South Central deputy said Mr O’Dea’s comments are only the latest in a series of statements made by Cabinet members that throw cold water over the Government’s policy on incineration.

Enterprise Minister Mícheál Martin previously indicated he did not wish to see the incinerator in his constituency of Cork South Central and Justice Minister Michael McDowell has also said he opposes an incinerator site in his own constituency, Mr Boyle added.

“Do any of these Cabinet ministers actually understand what their own Government policy on incineration is?” Mr Boyle asked.

He said opposing incineration in their own political strongholds was the ultimate hypocrisy.