Fine Gael accuses Gormley of selling out

FINE Gael last night accused Environment Minister John Gormley of “selling out” after the Green Party TD said he could not interfere with the planning process for an incinerator in Dublin’s Poolbeg area.

Fine Gael tabled a motion in the Dáil calling on Mr Gormley to use his ministerial powers to order Dublin City Council to amend its waste management plan.

The proposed amendment would prevent the council from locating the incinerator in Poolbeg.

The Fine Gael motion was similar to one which Mr Gormley tabled as an Opposition TD last year.

As such, it was designed to embarrass Mr Gormley, who represents the Dublin South East constituency, in which Poolbeg lies.

Mr Gormley had vigorously campaigned against the incinerator project while in opposition, but is now a member of a government which is in favour of incineration.

Tabling the motion last night, Fine Gael environment spokesman Fergus O’Dowd recalled Mr Gormley’s similar motion from last year.

“Now he [Mr Gormley] stands before us and, in his most brazen act of duplicity, seeks to oppose a motion that includes clauses that exactly mirror a motion he himself tabled 12 months ago.”

Directly addressing the minister, Mr O’Dowd added: “I challenge you to talk about the incinerator now and your position. Where is your determination, where is your grit, where is your ability to stand up to Fianna Fáil? Your cop-out is spectacular and has sold your voters and all those in and near Poolbeg down the river.”

Mr O’Dowd said the Government had no mandate to proceed with the incinerator.

“The elected membership of Dublin City Council has made clear its opposition to the project. So weak is local democracy in this country that their voice is ignored.

“By following behind his Fianna Fáil masters, and failing to support this motion, Minister Gormley is failing to keep his promises and showing exactly how short a leash they have him on.”

But Mr Gormley said his position on incineration had not changed. He stressed that neither he nor his party had given their approval for a single incineration project.

However, he said he could not comment on the Poolbeg project because of a legal provision stipulating that the Environment Minister shall not interfere in any planning project before An Bord Pleanála for consideration.

Dublin City Council’s application for planning permission for the incinerator is currently being adjudicated upon by An Bord Pleanála.

“In light of this provision, it would not be appropriate for me to comment or interfere with this case, which is before An Bord Pleanála, and the opposition knows this,” Mr Gormley said.

There were good reasons for such a provision, he added.

“Many of us are old enough to remember the controversies which surrounded past political involvement in the planning process.”

However, he stressed that his position on the incinerator was “well known and entirely consistent”.

Debate on the motion continues tonight.