The Government has rejected calls from the Greens for a new director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be prevented from taking up her position next month because of her previous work for an incineration company.
Ms Laura Burke, who was project manager for Indaver Ireland's two incineration projects, will not participate in the EPA board's decision on an application by the company to carry out incineration in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork.
However, the leader of the Greens, Mr Trevor Sargent, said Ms Burke had an "unresolvable conflict of interest" and called for her appointment to be terminated.
"Ms Burke's position is no longer tenable. The fact that Ms Burke will not be allowed to attend the EPA board meeting, which will decide on the Ringaskiddy incinerator, only highlights the ongoing conflict of interest created by her appointment to the EPA," he said.
"Her role as director utterly compromises the position of the EPA as a body seen by the public as being independent and impartial. Ms Burke clearly should not have been appointed and should not continue."
Such claims were immediately rejected by the Government and the EPA. A spokesman for the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, said the Government stood over the appointment of Ms Burke. "Obviously people would have been aware of her background and where she was coming from when she was shortlisted for the appointment."
An EPA spokeswoman said the body had a rigorous code of conduct which all staff and directors must adhere to "and we will ensure that no conflict of interest is allowed to occur".
Attempts to contact Ms Burke were unsuccessful. She will manage the EPA's corporate services division from next month and join the agency's board as a director.
