Company, council at odds over dump

Roadstone Dublin has insisted that an illegal dump discovered on its land at Dillonsdown near Blessington in Co Wicklow is not the one referred to as "the biggest yet" by Wicklow County Council.

The reference to a new and possibly the largest dump yet to be uncovered was made by the council's director of environmental services, Mr Michael Nicholson, earlier this month.

The council subsequently issued a statement which made reference to a site at Dillonsdown, Blessington, as a possible location of large amounts of illegally dumped waste.

However, a council spokesman would not confirm whether this was in fact the area referred to by Mr Nicholson.

Yesterday Roadstone said it was "surprised and disappointed" that its land had come to be linked to speculation that this was the site referred to by the council.

A company spokesman said the organisation was confident that its Dillonsdown lands were not the location of the alleged "biggest dump". He said household and commercial waste had been placed on the site without Roadstone Dublin's knowledge or approval.

The company is now awaiting the completion of the investigation and Wicklow County Council's report.

The council said yesterday a full examination of the Roadstone site was now under way to assess the extent of the dumping.

It said the investigation would also include an assessment of potential environmental risks involved.

However, although it has a 500-acre holding in the area, Roadstone is not the only owner of land at Dillonsdown.

The council said it was envisaged that a full investigation of sites at Dillonsdown was likely to take a considerable period of time.

Dillonsdown is located on the Kildare-Wicklow border, and a full investigation of the possible dumps in the area will require a co-ordinated approach between Wicklow and Kildare County Councils.

It is believed that the waste on Roadstone land may have been dumped there at night by unscrupulous hauliers.

In an attempt to detect large-scale disturbances of land the council has been using an aircraft, although in an area known for quarrying this is not a conclusive process.

Meanwhile The Irish Times understands that the county council is nearing a prosecution in relation to the largest dump so far discovered, at Whitestown near Blessington.

In what was formerly gravel pit, the county council discovered more than 250,000 tonnes of general waste contaminated by an unquantified amount of hospital waste.

However, the council has acknowledged the existence of persistent rumours in the west Wicklow area that more and larger pits have yet to be discovered.