Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 25 Jun 2003

Vol. 569 No. 4

Written Answers. - Waste Disposal.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

265 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if bags of asbestos were disposed of by the Kilkenny depot of Dúchas; if the workers who complained regarding the risks involved were ignored; the location at which the asbestos was dumped; if the dump was licensed; if this was confirmed by Dúchas before disposal; if the dump was illegal; the intentions of Dúchas in the issue; if he will request independent investigations to obtain a statement from the workers concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17944/03]

John McGuinness

Ceist:

266 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the procedures involved when asbestos and other hazardous materials have to be dumped by Dúchas; if details of location, method of disposal, transport used, specialists employed and place of disposal are recorded and retained; if the organisation has issued written instructions regarding the handling of such material; if there is a senior person specifically responsible for monitoring situations involving hazardous material; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17945/03]

John McGuinness

Ceist:

267 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the existence of an unlicensed dump in Tipperary being used extensively and, possibly, exclusively by Dúchas for a number of years, situated on a fen which is, or was, a haven for wildlife in an area of great natural beauty; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the lock on the gate and the signage at the dump are commonly used by Dúchas, that plastic sheets and buckets, timber, lime and possibly asbestos have been dumped there by Dúchas, and that a Dúchas vehicle dumped waste there, including Dúchas literature, in the week of 15-22 June 2003; if he will immediately investigate the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17946/03]

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 to 267, inclusive, together.

I have ordered an urgent and full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disposal of waste under the control of my Department's Kilkenny depot at an unlicensed dump in Tipperary. I will communicate the results of this investigation generally and to the Deputy when they are available.