Dún Laoghaire councillors call on chief executive not to sign incinerator deal

Councillors in Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown voted last night to ask their chief executive not to sign a deal to begin development of the controversial Poolbeg waste incinerator in Dublin.

Councillor Ossian Smyth (GP) called on Dún Laoghaire chief executive Philomena Poole to find the courage to "back away" from the project that "solves a problem that no longer exists".

Councillor Barry Ward (FG) said he was concerned about the financial commitment the council would be making.

“I feel like a lamb gaily skipping to financial slaughter,” he said.

And councillor Melisa Halpin (People Before Profit) said the site was “utterly inappropriate” and “hundreds and hundreds of trucks” would be “trundling through Ringsend on a daily basis”.

Councillor Victor Boyhan (Ind) said there was a “democratic deficit” in the way the chief executives would be giving the project “the nod”and councillor Peter O’Brien (Lab) said he was concerned data in the consultants’ reports was provided by “vested interests”.

Councillors voted by 21 to 16 to accept a motion, tabled by Ms Halpin, which called on Ms Poole not to sign the agreement in the interests of the environment, health and safety and financial probity.

Ms Poole told councillors based on the information provided to her, including reports from consultants PwC and RPS, she believed the project should go ahead.