TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has been challenged to “show his hand” over the Poolbeg incinerator and declare whether it is Government policy to allow it proceed or to be scrapped.
Fine Gael environment spokesman Phil Hogan said that it was now incumbent on Mr Cowen to state his position on the planned Dublin regional waste incinerator.
Last week Mr Gormley published a draft waste policy plan which strongly favours mechanical and biological treatment of waste over incineration.
If implemented, it would have the effect of making a large incinerator like Poolbeg unviable.
Mr Hogan said yesterday that Mr Cowen had merely welcomed the consultation process that will now take place in relation to the draft policy.
He claimed that Mr Cowen was “sitting on the fence” despite Fianna Fáil TDs from Dublin, notably the Dublin North deputy Michael Kennedy, supporting the project.
“The Taoiseach has remained silent on one of the major issues of the day and one in which a Minister of his Government has become personally involved in,” said Mr Hogan.
Mr Hogan asserted that Mr Gormley was not in a position to adjudicate on the foreshore licence for Poolbeg as he has a clear conflict of interest.
“Ministers for the environment in the bad old days adjudicated on planning decisions which was wrong. The Minister has to be seen to be above that.
“There is the potential liability of hundreds of millions of euro in the event of a proven case of breach of contract if this does not go ahead,” said Mr Hogan.
The planned facility at Poolbeg has a capacity of 600,000 tonnes. A “put-or-pay” clause requires the four Dublin local authorities to supply a minimum of 320,000 tonnes per annum.
Under the Minister’s proposals, the volume of waste going to incineration would be far less than that.
Dublin City Council yesterday warned that any variation on the contract to build a Dublin regional waste incinerator at Poolbeg could have serious financial repercussions, raising the possibility of a compensation claim.
However, that contention was rejected by Mr Gormley as “scaremongering”.
An authorised officer was commissioned by Mr Gormley’s department last March to examine various issues surrounding Poolbeg, including compensation.
The officer, John Hennessy, is due to report to Mr Gormley this week.
The City Council said it would examined the draft waste policy over the coming weeks but emphasised it was in a contractual situation for the construction of the plant.
Scott Whitney of Covanta, the developers of the incinerator, said there will be more than enough residual waste for Poolbeg, even when Dublin achieves its recycling target of 59 per cent.
