‘If I’m going to faint I will tell you beforehand’ said councillor at incinerator hearing

“I think I’m going to cry, inspector” — this was just one of the interjections that lightened the weighty proceedings on day seven of An Bord Pleanála’s oral hearing into an application by Indaver Ireland to build an incinerator in Ringaskiddy.

And while she managed to stave off the weeping, Marcia D’Alton was less disposed to concealing her contempt for Cork County Council, saying it was “shameful and embarrassing” that a government minister (Simon Coveney) had to defend the tourism and recreational potential of Cork Harbour — a job she felt the council should have done at the hearing.

In a lengthy presentation — broken only when inspector Derek Daly asked her if she would like a break (to which Ms D’Alton replied: “I think I’m OK, but if I’m going to faint, I will tell you beforehand”) — some of the focus was on the visual impact of Indaver’s proposed development, including the 50.7m-high process building block and the 75m-high chimney stack.