Enviroment

The Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Heritage and Local Government’s ongoing examination into the construction of a waste incinerator at Poolbeg, Dublin will continue tomorrow (3rd) when the Dublin City Manager, John Tierney and representatives from Covanta Energy, the company contracted to operate the facility will attend the meeting.

The meeting will take place at 2pm in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House.

Last week, the Committee met with the Irish Waste Management Association who claimed the scale of the project was too large, that it was too expensive and would cost the taxpayer dearly.

Reservations have also been expressed regarding the nature of the contract between Dublin City Council and Covanta. It has been claimed that the contract guarantees the incinerator a definite quantity of waste per annum, should this quantity not be reached, the council would have to pay compensation to Covanta.

Committee Chairman, Se n Fleming TD said;
“The waste incinerator has proved to be a highly controversial project. Opposing sides have made strong claims regarding the scale and size of the plant as it is currently envisaged, while concerns have also been raised about the potential cost to the taxpayer and the impact it will have on other waste operators.

The Committee is anxious to try and establish some facts surrounding this contentious issue so will be interested to hear what Dublin City Council and Covanta as the company who will develop the plant have to say.”