Concerns raised over sea dump

Two Labour TDs have raised concerns about plans to dump hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste into Dublin Bay.

It follows a recent licence application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by Dublin City Council to deposit up to 824,000 tonnes of “spoil” in the Irish Sea 3km off Howth Head.

The material will be dug out of the ocean floor in order to construct a 9km tunnel to expand the Ringsend waste water treatment plant capacity.

Dublin North East TD Tommy Broughan has raised the issue with Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan.

Mr Broughan has asked the Minister, through a parliamentary question, to report on the matter, citing local concerns.

“Residents and sports clubs including scuba-diving groups have raised grave fears about the potential impact of the dumping,” he said in a statement.

“Given the potential environmental impact of this proposal, Minister Hogan must urgently report to Dáil Éireann as soon as it resumes on this plan.”

Party colleague Seán Kenny, meanwhile, has demanded that the licence application be refused.

Alternatives to dumping the material on the Dublin Bay seabed must be found as the cloud, plume and dirt from the proposed dumping would be swept back into the bay on the tide, he said.