Gormley gives Haulbowline site reassurance

Minister for the Environment John Gormley said he hopes a report commissioned by him into the toxic waste site at Haulbowline Island will reassure people there are no health risks associated with it.

The minister was in Cork today to meet county councillors, members of Cobh Town Council, local groups and consultants White, Young and Green — who are carrying out the report on the site.

Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea said yesterday a separate report carried out by RPM Consulting for his department found there was no risk to human health in the area.

Both reports were commissioned in late June after it emerged that 500,000 tonnes of waste, including carcinogenic materials, had been found buried at the former Irish Steel site.

In the following days, Minister Gormley commissioned consultants White, Young and Green to carry out tests on the site.

It was to involve analysis of soil, slag, dust, and surface and ground water samples for all likely contaminants, including heavy metals such as chromium.

“They are doing everything. It is a comprehensive study looking at soil, air, wind direction. It is a confidence-building measure,” he said.

He said the study was a continuation of work done on the site by White, Young and Green in 2005. In that report they found there was no immediate risk to human health or the environment.

“They are the experts. They have the baseline data,” he said.

Speaking this morning he said he did not know what the results of the latest study were yet.

However, he said he hoped they would offer people reassurance. He stressed every piece of information available to him would be made available to the public.

He said there was no question the site would have to be cleaned up.

“On the basis of the assessment we will decide what way to proceed. It all depends on what the site will be used for in the future, whether it will be park, or commercial or residential. There is no question the site has to be cleaned up — but to what level has to be determined.”

He dismissed claims the report was delayed. When the consultants began their work in early July it was reported he said it would take five weeks to complete.

However, he will get preliminary results today which he will present to the meeting and the final report will not be completed for several weeks.

He said the no confidence vote by county councillors at a meeting of the local authority on Monday was ‘unfortunate’.

“Why would you want to meet with a minister you have no confidence in? There is a lot of political posturing going on. If you look at what I have done, I have been more transparent and done far more work on the site than any other minister.

“I think what should be of the uppermost importance is the welfare of the people,” he said.

Article courtesy of The Evening Echo newspaper