asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the proposal of Dublin Corporation and Dublin County Council to turn part of the south bank of the River Liffey opposite the Strawberry Beds into a rubbish dump; if he has formed an opinion on the environmental impact of this proposal if put into effect; the means at his disposal to prevent such a development; and whether he will avail of these means in order to do so.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Dublin Rubbish Dump.
21.
I am aware that Dublin County Council are negotiating with the owners for the acquisition of lands at Waterstown, Co. Dublin, for the purpose of establishing a site for refuse disposal by landfill. This is a matter within the council's discretion and responsibility. I understand that a full report dealing with the technical aspects, including environmental implications, of the proposal has been considered by the county council and approved. I understand that the council are proceeding in consultation with the local community interests as well. I do not consider that intervention by me is appropriate in such circumstances.
A further reason for the inappropriateness of such intervention is the possibility that I might have to decide on a proposal for acquisition of the lands by compulsory purchase order.
Does that all boil down to the fact that the Minister for the Environment has no powers at all to prevent a council from vandalising a beauty spot four miles from the city centre?
As I understand it the report I mentioned was adopted in principle by the council members subject to a more detailed report being prepared in respect of individual sites. The detailed report in respect of the Waterstown-Strawberry Beds site was produced in February 1976 and was approved by the council. It is understood that the detailed proposals were approved also by the local community council and that the local authority intend having continuing consultations with the local community interests. They are in agreement with the report, so who is objecting to it?
Would the Minister not agree that the Strawberry Beds and the Liffey valley only four miles from the city centre are a national asset and belong to the people and that while in a private planning application he was a court of appeal before the last Act, a function now performed by the planning appeals board, when the council propose to vandalise a site, the Minister is powerless? Is that the situation?
If the Deputy is talking about the Planning Act——
It appears that when the council are the culprits the Minister has no power to stop them.
The Deputy or any other citizen has the power, under the Planning Act, to appeal against a decision of the council. The local community concerned are in agreement with the proposal. Presumably if there was a question of something being vandalised, they would be concerned.
That is beside the point.
It is misleading.
We are getting into the realm of argument.
The Department of the Environment can be regarded only as a joke if they are powerless to prevent an act of vandalism.
I am calling Question No. 22.
That may be the Deputy's opinion but he appears to be the only one objecting.
I have called the next question.
There is an important supplementary I should like to put to the Minister because I fear that the House has been misled.
Of course it has been misled.
Am I correct in understanding the Minister as saying that any individual has the right to appeal against a decision of a local authority to take action in their functional area and, if so, can the Minister outline the procedure involved?
I refer to a right of appeal to the planning board.
We are not going into details of planning permission today.
The Minister has not answered my question.
Must I spell it out for the Deputy?
Yes.
Go back to being Local Government again.
I have called the next question several times.