According to Fine Gael Cork TD Deirdre Clune Minister Gormley’s handling of waste management policy will now result in the building of an incinerator in Dublin and may yet result in the building of another in Cork.

Responding to a question from Deputy Clune last week about the possible number and location of incinerators, Minister Gormley said, “The number of municipal waste incinerators which may be required are the responsibility of local authorities, in the context of the regional waste management plans”.

He added that, “I do not consider that incineration should be the cornerstone of the national approach to waste management. The Programme for Government reflects this in placing emphasis on developing the potential of other technologies involving the mechanical and biological treatment of significant quantities of municipal waste”.

Deputy Clune added, “The Minister is washing his hands of one of the major issues facing his department. Before the election the Green Party were totally against incinerators, last month they were in favour of two or even more incinerators and now they want to get someone else to make the hard decision for them and get them off the hook. Just like their opposition to the M3 in Tara or US military flights in Shannon, core Green Party policies have been sold out. By the next election the Green Party may be nothing more than the sandal wearing wing of the Fianna Fail party”.

Responding to the criticism, Green Party senator Dan Boyle said, “Having been shown a recent press release from Deirdre Clune TD, I can only marvel at the arrogance of Fine Gael and their position on incineration. From my own experience I have seen nothing from Fine Gael that was aimed at stopping incineration in Cork or anywhere else in the country.

“In fact the main basis on which An Bord Pleanála made its recent decisions is the Waste Management Act of 1997, which enshrined incineration in legislation. This is an act introduced by a Fine Gael/Labour government.

“John Gormley has been the only Minister for the Environment who has sought to reverse an insane waste management policy that was first put in place by Fine Gael and Labour, and followed by successive governments. Only the Green Party has sought to bring an end to the prospect of incineration in this country.

“I am confident that this is an objective that can still be achieved. Until we know what is Fine Gael’s policy on incineration and how they intend to put it place, I’m not prepared to put up with the hypocritical views of Deputy Clune on the subject,” said Senator Boyle.

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