A group campaigning against the construction of a hazardous waste incinerator in Cork Harbour has said it will "exhaust every possible means" to prevent the project going ahead.
Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment (CHASE) was reacting to the announcement that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted a waste management licence to Indaver Ireland to develop incinerators at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork and at Carranstown, Duleek, Co Meath.
The announcement comes as a judicial review hearing on the Bord Pleanála decision on the Ringaskiddy project was postponed in the High Court in Dublin today because there was no judge available to hear it.
The EPA said in a statement today there would be "stringent conditions" attached to the licences in respect of the management, operation, control and monitoring of the proposed incinerators.
It said the conditions meet or exceed the highest standards set by the EU in its directive on incineration.
"The EPA is satisfied that operation of the facilities in accordance with the conditions of the licence will not endanger human health or harm the environment in the vicinity of the facilities or over a wider area," the statement added.
Conditions imposed on Indaver include a five-stage process to minimise waste gases, a limit on dioxin emissions and a shutdown of the facility in the event of any malfunction of vital equipment.
The Office of Environmental Enforcement will monitor and enforce the conditions through environmental audits, unannounced site visits and systematic checks on emissions, the EPA said.
The Ringaskiddy plant will cost an initial €75 million and will handle 100,000 tonnes of hazardous and non-hazardous waste each year. It is expected to be operating within three years.
In Meath, the Duleek plant is expected to handle around 150,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste and will cost €85 million to build.
Reacting to the decision, CHASE said it was surprised at the timing of the announcement and said a consultation process must be completed before a full licence is issued.
"Let us be under no illusion about the EPA. The EPA has never refused an operating licence to a company with planning permission. The EPA modifies licence applications so that a company can commence operation," the body said in a statement.
"We intend to exercise our right to ask for an oral hearing on the Draft Operating Licence, but more importantly will exhaust every possible means of stopping this incinerator from being built."
CHASE said the incinerator is contrary to the Cork County Development Plan and the Cork Area Strategic Plan and that it was below the standard recommended by the Basle Convention for disposing of solid hazardous waste.
In addition, it was rejected by Cork County Council and was recommended for rejection by An Bord Pleanála's senior planning inspector on 14 grounds.
The Green Party said the leaking of the EPA decision to today's Irish Timesbefore the official announcement this morning was "politically motivated".
Cork South Central TD Mr Dan Boyle said it was "no coincidence" that the leak was made on the day that a judicial review hearing on the Bord Pleanála planning decision on the toxic waste incinerator in Ringaskiddy opened in the High Court.
"Neither is this likely decision surprising in view of the fact that the director general of the EPA, Dr Mary Kelly, has gone on record stating that she favours incineration. We also note that the recently-appointed director of the agency Laura Burke is a recent employee of the very company, Indaver, which is seeking this waste licence."
The EPA has said Ms Burke, a former project manager for Indaver's incineration projects, would not participate in the decision on the company's licence application.