The former manager of a toxic waste incineration company, who takes up her new role in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) next week, will be asked to leave the board meeting which decides whether to approve her recent employer's controversial incinerator in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork.
Ms Laura Burke was recently project manager for Indaver Ireland's planned incinerators in Co Cork and Carranstown, Co Meath.
Her new position as an EPA director demands that the agency's director general, Ms Mary Kelly, will have to ask her to leave the board meeting at which licensing of the Ringaskiddy incinerator will be discussed, a spokeswoman said.
The staff code of conduct deems that in the case of such a conflict of interest this move "would be standard", she added.
However, to date there has been only one previous occasion when a director has left a board meeting because of a conflict of interest.
In 1999 a now former director left the meeting because the discussion concerned Dublin Docklands Authority, of which she was a council member.
The Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment, which is supporting a local residents' legal battle against the Indaver incinerator, yesterday said Ms Burke's absence from EPA board meetings which will discuss whether to approve a pollution control licence for the toxic waste facility, was not enough.
"She shouldn't have been put in the position because she will still have influence over decisions, even if she is not at meetings," said spokeswoman Ms Linda Fitzpatrick.
It is understood that a proposed EPA licence for the Ringaskiddy incinerator will be presented to the board of directors in September, after Ms Burke assumes her new directorship on September 1st.
Indaver Ireland has already received planning permission from An Bord Pleanála for the Ringaskiddy incinerator.
Local residents are seeking a High Court review of that decision.
The company has also received permission for the planned incinerator in Carranstown, Co Meath.
Ms Burke was chosen from a list agreed by an independent statutory committee set up to deal with senior EPA appointments. She was appointed director by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, in July. She will head up the Office of Communications and Corporate Affairs.
Mr Dara Lynott, who has worked with the EPA since 1995, was also appointed a director by the Minister in July. He is now in charge of the Office of Environmental Enforcement.