National disgrace

THE failure to clean up the toxic site of the former Irish Steel plant at Haulbowline is a national disgrace.

Your revelation of the existence of a huge toxic dump there can only mean there is a severe threat to the health of local residents. The Irish people have been left with the bill and the clean-up will run into millions of euro.

The demand of local people that a full testing of the area for toxins be carried out must be met. And that should include Spike Island where hundreds of young offenders were formerly detained. The fears of prison staff who served there must be addressed, too.