AN Environmental Impact Study on a proposed dump in Co Wicklow has been sent by the Wicklow county manager to the Minister for the Environment despite opposition from most local councillors.
The impact study, by consultants M.C. O'Sullivan, was sent to Mr Howlin yesterday. The next step is an advertisement asking the public to express its views on the proposal. These advertisements will appear later this week.
A proposal to note the consultants' report was tabled at the county council meeting on Monday, thereby paving the way for its submission to Mr Howlin. A majority of councillors at the meeting signed a Section a motion seeking a period of public consultation before its submission, but this was ruled out of order as seven days' notice was necessary.
According to Senator Dick Roche, a council member, most councillors were opposed to the proposal. However, the meeting ended without a vote and the manager announced the submission to the Minister and the advertisements were going ahead.
The proposed landfill dump will be situated on a 300 acre site at Coolbeg/Ballingran, near the Glenealy road, just off the N11.
"The vast majority of councillors have been railroaded into this. The councillors have not been involved at all in this decision," said Senator Roche.
"The crude reality is that non elected council management have decided that they wish to build a super dump at Ballingran.
"By building this big dump, with a proposed life of 25 years, we are committing ourselves to landfill instead of waste reduction, recycling and composting."
The Wicklow county manager, Mr Blaise Treacy, denied that the proposal was being "railroaded".
"The EIS is part of a legal process. The legal process now requires me to pass this on the Minister. I don't have any discretion in the matter. I am obliged to do this," he said.
"Instead of the one month required, I gave until April 28th for people to come to county hall and examine the EIS report, along with their experts."