FF-Greens deal 'must not affect' incinerator decision

DUBLIN CITY Council has warned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that any agreements between Fianna Fáil and the Green Party in relation to waste management must not affect the decision to grant a licence to the Poolbeg incinerator.

Agreements between the parties in the programme for government, or the outcome of the current review of waste management policy conducted by Minister for the Environment John Gormley, were not relevant to the EPA's consideration of the licence application, Bill Shipsey senior counsel for the local authority, said.

Mr Shipsey was making the council's closing submission yesterday on the final day of the EPA hearing on the proposal to grant a licence for the incinerator which will burn 600,000 tonnes of waste annually. It is seeking a licence to run the incinerator, having last year been granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála.

Mr Gormley had, before his appointment as Minister, objected to the incinerator but is now debarred from involvement in the licensing process.

However, he is reviewing waste policy and has said he favours mechanical biological treatment, which breaks down waste, to reduce the need for incineration.

The EPA must have regard to current waste policy which favours incineration, Mr Shipsey said, and not to any future policy. "The future predictions of what might happen in relation to waste policy are irrelevant to the authority's considerations of a licence." No "credible scientific or other evidence" had been presented not to grant the licence, he added.

The hearing concluded yesterday, despite a request for an adjournment by one of the appellants, Joe McCarthy, to consider new material put forward by the council in relation to air quality.

Mr McCarthy was last week granted an adjournment to consider a new report by the council's expert on air quality and emissions, Dr Edward Porter. Mr McCarthy said the air quality was poor and in breach of environmental standards. Mr Porter said air quality was improving and would be significantly better by the time the incinerator opened in 2012.

Hearing chairwoman Maire O'Connor will consider the evidence presented and make a recommendation to the EPA.