Minister for the Environment John Gormley was accused of "huffing and puffing" on the proposed Poolbeg incinerator in his Dublin South East constituency.
The charge was made by Fine Gael spokesman Phil Hogan, who asked Mr Gormley what action he proposed to take to make the incinerator project redundant.
Mr Gormley replied: "All the huffing and puffing is coming from the deputy's side. Last night, I attended a meeting in Ringsend and was happy to take questions. Funnily enough, however, there was no one there from Fine Gael." He said that the waste-to-energy plant proposed for the Poolbeg area was being promoted by Dublin City Council, acting on behalf of the four local authorities, and was provided for in the Dublin regional waste management plan already adopted by the local authorities concerned in accordance with the provisions of the Waste Management Act 1996.
"My personal views on this project are a matter of public record, as is the emphasis, which I consider necessary in the context of the Government commitment to a waste review, on minimising waste going to landfill and incineration."
He said that he had already signalled a fundamental change in waste and resources policy. "This policy change will move the emphasis in waste management up the waste hierarchy. As part of this policy change I am commissioning an international study for the purposes of a waste policy review."
