Work on the Cork Docklands project, the biggest proposed development in the country since the construction of the International Financial Services Centre in Dublin 20 years ago, could grind to a halt unless the State provides €2.3m in immediate funding to appoint a design team for the proposed Eastern Gateway Bridge.

DIOXIN levels in the Cork Harbour area could increase by up to 5% when the planned incinerators are in operation — but, even with such increases, emissions would still fall well below legal limits, an oral hearing was told.

INCREASED bin charges, more taxation or increased state borrowing will have to be considered next year if we have to fork out up to €500,000 a day in EU fines for over reliance on landfills, the managing director of Indaver Ireland said.

INDAVER will today claim its plans for a toxic waste incinerator in east Cork will not only resolve Ireland’s mounting waste mountain but will also deal with the expensive problem of contaminated soils and sludges at the former Irish Steel facility in the region.

MINISTER for the Environment John Gormley has said the future of the Cork harbour island of Haulbowline will be decided at a cabinet meeting in coming weeks.

THE Department of the Environment is set to raise several new concerns about the impact of two controversial incinerators on legally protected wildlife zones in Cork Harbour.

LIMERICK got a massive jobs boost yesterday with the go-ahead for two major health projects that will create up to 1,000 full and part-time jobs.

PLANNING permission was granted yesterday for a co-located private hospital on the grounds of the Mid-West Regional Hospital in Limerick.

ELECTION candidates hoping to get seats in Cork City Council’s north-east ward may have to walk a tightrope on an issue that proves just how local politics really is.

A NEW €80 million private hospital is being proposed for Cork city centre.

TOP tourist town Killarney is becoming the Las Vegas of Ireland.

DESPITE claims the centre of Dingle could become a “ghost town”, An Bord Pleanála has given the green light for a multi-million-euro development at the eastern side of the tourist haven.

AN BORD PLEANÁLA was yesterday accused of being out of touch for continuing to put on hold a decision on the e350 million Opera retail centre in Limerick.

THE Department of the Environment has lodged a submission to An Bord Pleanála outlining potential risks to human, plant and animal life from the proposed development of two e150 million incinerators at Cork Harbour.

THE way has been cleared by An Bord Pleanála for more than 100 houses and apartments on a prime Douglas Road site in Cork city.

A RULE in Kerry that does not allow telecommunications masts within 1km of houses, schools and other residential buildings will delay the roll-out of broadband in rural areas of the county, county manager Tom Curran has warned.

WATERFORD County Council has commenced enforcement proceedings against a TK Maxx outlet in Waterford after An Bord Pleanála found it had contravened planning laws.

IN your report headlined ‘Department warns An Bord Pleanála of risks from harbour incinerators’ (February 25), you quote the developer Indaver as saying “the incinerators are ‘must-have’ for this country if we want to avoid hefty EU levies for sending too much waste to landfill.”

INDAVER has been accused of trying to muscle-in on Cork County Council’s waste disposal business.

CORK County Council is to urge An Bord Pleanála to reject Indaver’s plans to build incinerators in Ringaskiddy capable of burning 300,000 tonnes per annum of municipal and hazardous waste.