Laois County Council's rejection of the Midland Waste Management Plan last Monday probably means that an entirely new scheme will have to be drawn up.
For the past year, councillors from Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, North Tipperary and Laois have been discussing the implications of the plan, which the Government wants enacted. In the midlands area, the £225 million plan would involve the disposal of 152,000 tonnes of waste annually by recycling 46 per cent of it and landfilling 17 per cent. The remaining 37 per cent would be thermally treated.
Councillors in Westmeath, Offaly and North Tipperary reluctantly went along with the plan, but Laois councillors rejected it last Monday.
The rejection was based on public health grounds and the possible damage incineration might cause to people and farming in the county.
An amended proposal was put to the council but was rejected on legal grounds. Councillors opted instead to reject the plan completely.
Yesterday, Mr Louis Brennan, the Laois county secretary, said the council's vote meant there was now no plan, even though it had been accepted by three other councils in the area.
He said the matter would be discussed at the next meeting of the regional management committee, which is made up of officials and chairpersons from th e councils.
"I have no idea what they will decide to do, but I know the matter is on the agenda for discussion there," Mr Brennan said.
Longford county councillors have yet to decide on the plan, but it is thought likely that they too will reject it following the Laois decision.