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Requests to An Bord Pleanala to grant an extension
to community groups opposing Indavers application to build two incinerators
in Ringaskiddy have been refused, despite the fact that Indaver’s
requests for extra time in April 2010 were facilited with over 3 months
extension until August 3 2010, on top of an initial 3 month period.
Several groups within CHASE requested an extension to the 27th October
2010 deadline, to allow adequate time to examine what An Bord Pleanala
deemed ‘significant information’ submitted by Indaver
Ireland. The requests were refused by letter from An Bord Pleanala.
CHASE groups are extremely concerned because:
• Community groups have been granted only six weeks to consider
and respond to what took Indaver over six months to prepare.
• The Board requested that Indaver REMOVE plans for the Municipal
Waste Incinerator, and submit flooding and coastal erosion mitigation
measures. Indaver’s submission however INCLUDES provision for
a municipal waste incinerator and states that in line with “future
proofing and common sense, this revised and reduced scale of development
does remain capable of accommodating such facilities [as a municipal
waste incinerator] at this site”
• Indavers modifications consist primarily of:
- raising the road but failing to assessment the flood impact of this
- dumping a mound of boulders on Gobby beach as coastal erosion ‘mitigation
measures’, rendering half the beach ineffective
- Reducing the physical plant size, while maintaining provision for,
and including equipment for a Muicipal Waste Incinerator
A spokesperson for CHASE said “The whole process remains frustrating
in the extreme. Despite an exhaustive oral hearing in 2009 and the
decisions made by the Board, including to disallow municipal incineration
at Ringaskiddy and indeed the apparent acceptance of the issue of
flood risk etc., the Board now appear to be indulging the applicants
in a manner that seems to suggest either complicity or an abuse of
process and/or bias in favour of the applicant.
Indavers document and supporting material in response to the ever-accommodating
request by the Bord in January 2010 for “modifications to and
further information about the project” amounts to a different
concept with altered ramifications and by any normal criteria should
be subject to a new application.”
All of the fundamentals of the totally unsuitable site remain, including
the congested size & shape, flood risk, fire hazard and absurdly
unsafe proximity to the Maritime College and surrounding populations.
CHASE will be formally requesting either a further public hearing
or a new application.
ENDS
Contacts:
Mary O’Leary, 086 8177737, 021 4811952
Linda FitzPatrick, 087 7410849, 021 4374506
Mary Hurley, 086 8162448, 021 4803070
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