February 10 2009 by Paul
Incinerator Victory
Green Party TD for Dublin Mid-West Paul Gogarty has welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanála to refuse permission for a 365,000 tonne ‘waste to energy’ facility in Rathcoole. This follows a long planning process and huge community effort to stop the unwanted incineration project.
Deputy Gogarty said: “We are delighted for the local neighbouring communites in Rathcoole, Saggart, Newcastle, Tallaght, Clondalkin and Lucan. If this facility had got the go-ahead it would have had a serious impact, not just on these towns, but also much of the greater Dublin area.”
The decision follows a long planning process which included three weeks of oral submissions in November. Key arguments made against the plan included an inadequate Environmental Impact Statement, non-adherence to Dublin Regional Waste Management Strategy and recent changes to Government policy on incineration.
Local Green Party Councillor Dorothy Corrigan said that while many businesses and individuals played their part, much of the credit for the result was due to the efforts of RAID, the community organisation set up to tackle this dangerous planning application. “RAID made a huge effort to mobilise the local community and are testament to what can be done when people work together towards a common goal. They now need to recoup the huge costs they have incurred in hiring their team of experts and further community support will be required in that regard.
“We in the Green Party were also happy to be able to assist in the campaign. Despite some nasty, politically-motivated mud-slinging and a cynical misinformation campaign by Fine Gael in particular, our work for the community has been vindicated,” she said.
Paul Gogarty TD added: “The facts are that we had a presence at every hour of every day of the hearing and provided by far the most comprehensive and detailed written and oral submissions of any political organisation [copied below]. Yet those political Parties that have consistently voted for incineration presented no more than a token presence at the hearing. Senator Frances Fitzgerald, for example, took every opportunity to slate the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley TD, even going so far as to suggest that he supported this plan. Yet Fine Gael’s presence at the hearing was sketchy to say the least. It seems they spent more time attacking the Green Party than working to stop this project.”
Deputy Gogarty said that Minister Gormley had been working hard over the last 18 months to reverse the policy on incineration originally voted through by the Fine Gael and Labour rainbow government and supported by Fianna Fáil. “Although he was legally unable to get involved in the planning process, his responses to our many queries since the application was first submitted provided us with valuable information which helped inform our detailed submission.
“The truth is that since the Green Party entered Government, we have been working to change the policy on incineration. The evidence shows that this policy has now changed and I welcome the Minister’s statement that he will do all in his power to minimise the amount of waste that is incinerated in Ireland in those facilities already approved,” said Gogarty.
Note to Editor - Background to this submission:
1) The plan that was turned down
2) The Community Group that stopped it
3) Green action - the political party that helped
1) The plan that was turned down
Ref: PA0006
Developer: Energy Answers International Ltd
N7 Resource Recovery Project at Behan’s Quarry, Windmill Hill, Rathcoole, County Dublin
Case Reference: 06S.PA0006
Case Type: Application for permission
Website address: http://www.n7rrpplanning.ie
Proposed use of the site in planning application:
Development of “an integrated energy and materials recovery facility for the treatment of 365,000 tonnes of nonhazardous waste per annum utilising a mechanical and thermal treatment process to generate 28 MW of electricity (net), recover metals and aggregate, and manufacture concrete products”.
2) The Community Group that stopped it
RAID (Rathcoole Against Incinerator Dioxins) is the organisation set up to co-ordinate the campaign against this incineration proposal, which would have impacted far beyond Rathcoole itself. Having succeeded in this effort, the Group now needs donations to recoup the enormous costs of employing planning and legal experts. You can help by making a donation to the following account:
Sort Code 90-12-98 Account No. 90720422
RAID, c/o Rathcoole Community Council, Community Centre, Rathcoole, Co Dublin
To contact RAID e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit http://www.rathcooleincinerator.org
3) Green action - the political party that helped
The Green Party made the largest and most detailed written submission, amounting to 83 pages, followed by detailed oral presentations. The Party was represented at each day of the hearing
Green Party Minister John Gormley has been working to change the incineration policy which was voted into law by FF, FG and Labour TDs and Senators, announcing in 2007 that ‘incineration is no longer the cornerstone of Irish waste management policy’.
