Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 4 Jun 1992

Vol. 420 No. 7

Adjournment Debate. - County Kerry Landfill Site.

Mr. Spring

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise my concern, and that of many constituents, at the response of the Department to a request from Kerry County Council for a landfill site at Muingnaminnane. The location of landfill sites is a difficult and contentious matter for most local authorities and this one has been no less so for Kerry County Council both from the administrative side and the members' side. After a series of meetings and site visits, agreement was reached by a substantial majority of the members of Kerry County Council that a site should be located at Muingnaminnane. As far as I am concerned, all the requisite conditions were complied with by Kerry County Council, including an environment impact study. Site visitations took place as did various testings. The tests were sent to the Department on 31 December 1991 for approval in accordance with the planning regulations, in particular article 38 of the 1990 planning regulations. I am extremely puzzled as to the delay on the part of the Department of the Environment in responding to that request.

The situation is made more difficult by the pressure on Kerry County Councl due to the fact that the landfill site for the town of Tralee and its hinterland has been due for closure for a number of years and its opening has been extended only for six months at a time. On Tuesday of last week the residents of the Tralee area went to the Circuit Court in the town seeking an injunction to close the landfill site in Tralee which is presently operating on a two hours per day basis.

Kerry County Council will not have any options in relation to taking refuse and rubble, if the injuction is granted. Leave has been given to the residents of the area to reapply in July to the Circuit Court and it appears from the response of the judge that he was sympathetic to their case and may well grant the injuction forbidding Tralee Urban District Council from carrying out any further dumping at the landfill site in Tralee that has served the town for more than 30 years.

Kerry County Council are adamant that they are not prepared to take any refuse to other locations in the county. The county waste plan is structured in such a way that each area must provide its own landfill. The county has been divided into three areas. A crisis will arise within a matter of weeks. Tourism is important for County Kerry and, obviously, if the closure is ordered by the Circuit Court in July, a serious question mark will hang over the Festival of Kerry which is held in Tralee.

I am inquiring as to the reason for the Department's delay in responding, in terms of carrying out the inspections of the site and in giving the go-ahead for the site. If the all clear is given by the Minister a certain amount of planning and lining of the site will take place and the road widening and so on will take some time. I urge the Minister to give the matter priority because it is urgent and contentious. The Minister has the support of Kerry County Council members and officials in this regard. I would not like to see that support being lessened by the passage of time. This is a serious problem and I ask the Minister to give it his immediate attention, to assist Kerry County Council who have acted honourably in trying to tackle it and provide for the future.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Smith)

I am aware that the existing landfill site at Tralee is seriously overtaxed and that there has been a long-running local campaign to have it closed. The site serves the Castleisland and Sneem areas, as well as Tralee and a considerable part of north Kerry. Kerry County Council do not dispute the contention that the Tralee site is most unsatisfactory and should be closed down. They have been searching for a suitable alternative site over the past few years and have apparently looked at about 20 different sites. There has been major local opposition to virtually all their potential selections.

The county council were offered a site some time ago by Coillte Teoranta. It consists of 44 acres at Muingnaminnane in the Blue Stack mountains and is located 11 kilometres north-east of Tralee.

Landfill sites having an expected annual intake of more than 25,000 tonnes are automatically subject to the EIA process. However, a site below this threshold must also be subjected to such assessment where it is likely, taking account of factors such as its nature, size and location, to have significant effects on the environment. Kerry County Council arranged to have an environmental impact statement prepared in respect of the proposed Muingnaminnane development and, in accordance with the regulations, applied to the Minister to certify that the development would not, in his opinion, have significant adverse effects on the environment, or that it would embody the best practicable means to prevent or limit such effects.

The Minister is obliged, when considering such an application, to have regard to the EIS as well as to any submissions or observations made to him in relation to the proposed project.

The EIS for the Muingnaminnane tip site project was prepared by hydro-geological and environmental consultants engaged by Kerry County Council. Interested persons had the opportunity to make submissions and observations in relation to the project up to 9 February 1992. Numerous observations and submissions have been received and the various issues raised are currently being examined in my Department in conjunction with the EIS. I hope to be in a position to convey a decision on the proposed development to the local authority in the near future.

Mr. Spring

When will the decision be made?

Mr. Smith

I cannot go further than saying that the issues raised in the studies are being considered. I hope to have a final decision in the near future. I would not like to be too specific, but I am mindful of the problems affecting Tralee and the surrounding area.