Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 April 2017
256. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that material from the River Dargle, Bray, County Wicklow, was used for the construction of the R755 road at Roundwood as part of the River Dargle flood protection scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16946/17]
View answer257. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount of material that was taken from the River Dargle site in Bray, County Wicklow, as part of the River Dargle flood protection scheme; if a waste licence was applied for to the EPA for the removal of the material; if testing was carried out on the materials; if the material was all in earth material; if the local engineer in Roundwood Vartry Reservoir or Irish Water was consulted on this and if they had any objections to this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16947/17]
View answer258. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that material from the River Dargle, Bray ,County Wicklow, was used for the construction of the R755 road at Roundwood as part of the River Dargle flood protection scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16948/17]
View answer259. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount of material that was taken from the River Dargle site in Bray, County Wicklow, as part of the River Dargle flood protection scheme; if a waste licence was applied for to the EPA for the removal of the material; if testing was carried out on the materials; if the material was all in earth material; if the local engineer in Roundwood Vartry Reservoir or Irish Water were consulted on this and if they had any objections to this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16949/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 256 to 259, inclusive, together.
The River Dargle flood relief project is being carried out by Wicklow County Council (WCC) with funding provided by the Office of Public Works (OPW). WCC is the Contracting Authority for the project and is responsible for the overall management of the works. The OPW has no involvement in the day to day management of the project.
Wicklow County Council has advised that approximately 32,000 cubic metres of materials were removed from the site and transported to Calary on the Dargle Road. The Council has advised that no Waste License was required. The removal of the material was addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement, published in 2007. In addition, a notification under Article 27 of the European Communities (Waste Directive) Regulations 2011, S.I. No. 126 of 2011 issued to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2016 to the effect that the material was a by-product for re-use and therefore not regarded as waste.
The Materials removed from site were tested in accordance with WAC (Waste Acceptance Criteria) as well as Particle Size Distribution tests. The materials were all inert materials, as classified by WAC. The Wicklow County Council District Engineer has been in contact with the local Engineer that deals with the reservoir in Roundwood who expressed no objection to this work.
