Waste Management.

Wednesday, 9 February 2005

Questions (14)

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

59 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will confirm the statement he made on a recent television programme (details supplied) that it is intended to proceed with the construction of a municipal waste incinerator at Poolbeg, Dublin; the planning or approval process which is envisaged for this process; the approximate date by which the incinerator is intended to be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4090/05]

View answer

Oral answers (24 contributions)

Mr. Roche

The requirement for a thermal treatment facility was formally identified in Dublin's regional waste management plan which was adopted by the four Dublin local authorities in the late 1990s. In the context of the southern and eastern regional operational programme of the national development plan, my Department has provided Cohesion Fund assistance towards the planning of the Dublin region thermal treatment project. Planning and procurement of the project has been advanced under the co-ordination of Dublin City Council and is now well advanced.

Given the intention to use a public private partnership to deliver the project, my Department will wish to be satisfied that the procurement process has been properly conducted in accordance with the national and EU requirements and that the selected tender provides good value. Beyond this, my Department will have no further involvement in sponsoring or financing the project.

A thermal treatment facility requires environmental impact assessment and processing through the appropriate planning control requirements set out in the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the licensing requirements set out in the Environmental Protection Agency Acts 1992 and 2003. Since the outcome of these independent statutory processes cannot be known in advance, I am not in a position to say when a Dublin region thermal treatment facility will become operational.

Mr. Gilmore

I thank the Minister for his reply which sets out the procedures that will need to be followed to allow an incinerator to be built in Poolbeg. From his answer, can I take it that the Minister is confirming what he recently told Ursula Halligan on her television programme that the incinerator in Poolbeg will proceed?

Mr. Roche

As I said to the Deputy, the incinerator project needs to go through a planning process.

Mr. Gilmore

We know all that.

Mr. Roche

Obviously if it gets the green light in the planning process, it can proceed, but if it does not, then we will be back to the drawing board. I made this point in my reply to the Deputy. I cannot predict the decisions of various independent boards on this project and I am sure the Deputy is not asking me to put myself in a position where I could be seen to influence those views. However, those decisions will be made independently and they will determine the future of the project in that particular location.

Mr. Gilmore

From the Minister's reply, can I take it that no political decision has been made by the Minister or the Government not to build the incinerator in Poolbeg?

Mr. Roche

The Deputy can indeed take it. The planning process needs to be followed. I do not intend to intervene in or interfere with what is an independent planning process. I am sure the Deputy is not asking me to interfere with a decision which will be made by the local authorities in this city and county.

Mr. Gilmore

Will it be included within the remit of the legislation to fast-track infrastructure projects?

Mr. Roche

That is a very fair question. With regard to whether this project will be covered by the strategic infrastructure Bill, I understand that it is the intention of Dublin City Council, as the co-ordinator in the project, to submit it for processing under existing legislation. To save the Deputy asking a further supplementary question, it would be my wish that it should proceed under existing legislation.

Mr. Gilmore

The Minister has announced that he will shortly introduce legislation to fast-track infrastructural projects. Has a decision been made, as reported, to exclude the Poolbeg incinerator from the remit of that legislation?

Mr. Roche

That does not arise. The strategic infrastructure Bill is complex legislation which will take some time to enact. I understand it is intended to proceed with this project under existing legislation. I have made it clear that would be my wish.

Mr. Gilmore

Based on what the Minister has said, am I to understand that the long planning process and the licensing process which will inevitably surround the proposed incinerator in Poolbeg would be completed before we see the legislation on critical infrastructure?

Mr. Roche

That would not be a fair assumption to make from the response I have given. I have been quite precise as to my wishes. With the help of the House I anticipate that the critical infrastructure Bill will get a relatively speedy passage. We accept that it will take time to process this particular project under existing legislation. However, if the project is in process, it is under the existing process and not under some future process.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I will allow one further very brief question.

Mr. Gilmore

Does it then follow that every project, incinerator, road or whatever that is already in a planning process will not be covered by the infrastructure legislation? The newspapers have reported that at the insistence of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Government has decided to take the proposed Poolbeg incinerator out of the scope of proposed infrastructure Bill. I will ask the Minister the straight question. Has that decision been taken? Is it true that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has persuaded the Government to exempt the Poolbeg incinerator from the critical infrastructure legislation?