Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 December 2013
415. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the materials that had to be removed by the Army from Enva Limited, based in Shannon, on 1 December last; if the Environmental Protection Agency licence provided allowed for the storage of said materials; the risks posed to the public by their storage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54247/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe monitoring and enforcement of conditions attaching to waste licences is a matter for the EPA. Under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, as amended, I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by the EPA of its licensing functions in specific cases. However, in this specific case I understand that the Agency was aware of and provided prior approval for the collection and disposal by the Army on 1 December 2013 of a small quantity of waste materials from the Enva Ireland Ltd facility, Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co Clare. The materials were disposed of in this way as they were deemed by the licensee to be unsuitable, due to their nature, for international transport and disposal through normal waste disposal routes. The Agency agreed that this was the best environmental option to secure orderly disposal of the materials. The materials in question had been held in safe and secure storage conditions in accordance with the licence and consequently posed no risk to the public.
