Calls have been made for the director general of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr Mary Kelly, to resign following her remarks in a newspaper article that domestic incinerators would be built throughout Ireland.
Green Party Cork South Central TD, Mr Dan Boyle - in whose constituency it is proposed to locate a national toxic waste incinerator at Ringaskiddy - called for Dr Kelly to consider her position and said the remarks called into question the impartial role of the EPA.
In a newspaper interview, Dr Kelly was reported to say "we will get domestic waste incinerators, beginning with the Indaver project in Meath where planning approval has been secured, though a judicial review is awaited".
According to Mr Boyle, the role of the EPA should be to make environmental needs paramount and that the comments of the director general "compromised that role and has undermined public confidence in the processes the EPA is involved in. Dr Kelly's remarks are grossly partial toward the incineration industry and appear to be more helpful toward meeting their commercial needs rather than upholding proper environmental standards".
The call for Dr Kelly's resignation was supported by lobby group Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment (Chase), which has maintained a determined campaign against the proposed incinerator at Ringaskiddy.
"We know that incineration is a high risk and outmoded waste management option, and are shocked that the EPA is formally endorsing it. Dr Kelly's comments directly contradict EPA policy on a number of grounds," a spokeswoman for Chase said.