The Green Party has repeated its complete objection to incineration stating that "for the Green Party, removing incineration from the country's waste management plans is a bottom line in any negotiations to form a Government".
Speaking at a press conference outside the Argagh Glass Bottle Company in Poolbeg today, Mr John Gormley TD said: "This morning we are highlighting the real contradictions in the Government's Waste Management strategy. On the one hand they have allowed the Ardagh Glass factory to close which means an end to glass recycling nationwide.
"On the other hand this Government supports the Poolbeg incinerator which will undermine all types of recycling across the country."
Mr Gormley added that, considering that two major fires had occurred on the Poolbeg Peninsula over the last twelve months, it was imperative that the Environmental Protection Agency ensure that all waste management facilities are properly licensed and regularly monitored.
The New National Waste Management proposal by the Greens aims to establish a semi-state National Recycling Company; introduce legislation prohibiting the construction of any new waste incinerators and rescind the Waste Amendment Act to restore full public involvement in the processes of deciding what means of waste management best suit each community.
Meanwhile the No Incineration Alliance (NIA) has stated that – following the release of the Progressive Democrats policy on waste management – Fianna Fáil is now the only political party to support mass burn incineration, the type proposed by Belgian multinational, Indaver for the Boyne Valley incinerator which Indaver wishes to locate near Drogheda, Co Louth and Duleek, Co Meath.
The NIA has urged the electorate to use the ballot box to reject parties whose policies are pro-incineration and anti environment. They also claim that waste management legislation pushed through the Oireachtas last year by the Minister of the Environment Mr Dempsey, is one of the most draconian pieces of legislation ever enacted, as it transfers powers from democratically elected public representatives, to County Managers.