Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004
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Site Remediation.
1263 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the measures being taken to remove hazardous and toxic waste from the former steelworks site at Haulbowline Island, County Cork following a recent High Court decision. [22963/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the replies to Question No. 557 of 23 March and Question No. 145 of 1 April 2004. In the intervening period Cork County Council has selected a firm of consultants to progress the investigation of the site, and work on the procurement process for this investigation has commenced.
It is difficult to undertake major decontamination works on the site pending the site investigation, but some works have been ongoing. Further hazardous materials have been removed from the site and a contract awarded for the removal of about 300 tonnes of bagged dust resulting from the steel making process.
Certain further decontamination works are under consideration at present, but these are constrained by the need to ensure that the intrusive site investigation is not obstructed. I stress, however, that while there is a large amount of unsightly waste at the site it is predominantly inert slags which do not pose a danger to the local area. Most hazardous materials which could be removed independently of the decontamination and dismantling of the industrial buildings have already been removed, or contracts have been awarded for their removal.
