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Irish Examiner - 17-01-04 By Mícheál Lehane, Catherine Shanahan and Mary Dundon
– Irish Examiner ANGRY residents at the site of the country’s first commercial
toxic waste incinerator vowed last night to take their battle to the
High Court.An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for the controversial
€95m incinerator at Ringaskiddy in The Ringaskiddy Residents Association (RRA) said it will
immediately seek a judicial review of the planning permission. "We will fight this all the way. I'm even willing to
go to jail to make sure it is never built," RRA spokesperson Audrey
Hogan said. Objectors estimate they will need a war chest of €120,000
to mount a successful legal challenge. Residents had raised €55,000,
but most of that was spent on a four-week public hearing that examined
Indaver's planning application. However, they say the money will be
found. "We're confident that we can raise the money, we have plenty
of backers," Ms Hogan said. Campaigners across the country have vowed to support
any legal challenge. Five more household and commercial waste plants
are planned in Ringaskiddy, "We support them fully and hope they are successful in
the courts," spokesman for the No Incinerator Alliance Tony Rooney
said. Among the reasons for yesterday's decision were: the provisions of the Waste Management Act, which preclude
An Bord Pleanála from considering matters relating to the risk of
environmental pollution; the view that Cork Harbour was suitable because
it "already had a large-scale pharmaceutical and chemical industry". There are nine hazardous waste incinerators in Environment Minister Martin Cullen welcomed the decision.
He rejected claims the toxic waste incinerator would be a threat to
public safety or health. Now the EU has put "Incineration is part of the solution to our waste management
problem a lot of myths and legends have been put out about it that
are totally without foundation. The old mass burners are gone and
now we have cutting edge technology," Mr Cullen said. Health Minister Mícheál Martin, who lives in "Ringaskiddy is home to 60% of the country's pharmaceutical
industries and the residents of that area have borne their fair share
of industrial development," he said. |
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Cork
Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment |