PRESS RELEASE SEPTEMBER 2008

Tuesday 25th November is the date that An Bord Pleanala is expected to announce its decision on the proposed Waste Incinerator at Behan’s Quarry on the N7, near Rathcoole Co. Dublin.
It is envisaged that the oral hearings will take place in October /November
Over 290 objections to this project were received by An Bord Pleanala - from local residents, South Dublin County Council, local planning authority, local representatives, business and corporate interests , the horse racing industry, farmers, local developers, National Roads Authority and the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board.

The objection from the NRA (National Roads Authority) is a most powerful and interesting submission.
“On reading this objection alone, I cannot possibly perceive how An Bord Pleanala could grant planning permission for this Waste Incinerator on the N7”, states Liam Mc Dermott, PRO for R.A.I.D. (Rathcoole Against Incinerator Dioxins).
Traffic surveys undertaken by the NRA indicate that HGV’s account for 16.4% of all present traffic on the N7 and as this figure is above the accepted level for motorways of this nature throughout the world, any further increase could cause serious bottlenecks and severe traffic disruption.
The NRA goes on to state that this development proposal should be refused permission as it fails to adequately demonstrate how the resulting traffic will be accommodated by the road network. The developers, Energy Answers, have made no allowance within their traffic analysis or modelling for the high percentage of HGV traffic currently utilizing the N7. The NRA note that the assessment by Energy Answers shows anticipated road capacity to be significantly over- estimated and their development proposals therefore create a real risk of congestion on the N7.
The NRA also state that the development proposal should be refused on two further grounds – (a) Insufficient detail has been presented to demonstrate that the road safety issues raised in The Road Safety audit have been addressed. Furthermore, the NRA is of the view that other safety issues are in evidence at this location and have not been addressed e.g.
The gradient of the access and exit roads.
High risk of serious accidents on the N7.
Inadequate drainage provision.
Excessive dust/debris being carried onto the N7 from the quarry site.
No advanced warning signs. (b) The development access may be premature pending the determination of road upgrade proposals for this section of the N7. Interestingly, this is also a concern of the chief planning officer for South Dublin Council who has also submitted a detailed objection to this development.


The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board has also lodged a very serious objection to a Waste Incinerator at Behan’s Quarry. Their objection points to the fact that the proposed development is located within the catchment area of the river Griffeen. The Griffeen river is exceptional among most urban river systems in the area . It supports migratory sea trout in the lower stretches of the river while it also supports resident brown trout throughout. Salmonoid water constraints apply to any development site and drain to the river network. Only clean, uncontaminated water should leave the development site and drain to the river network.
The planning application for this development does not deal adequately with the monitoring of waste water.
In their submission, The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board ask : How will waste water from the Truck/Vehicle wash area be disposed of , particularly as it will contain detergent and other chemicals ?
How will waste water from the hardstanding area used for the drying and curing of the concrete blocks be disposed of?
Has there been any assessment made of the impact of all wastewaters that will flow into the Griffeen water system?
They further state that the Foul Water treatment system proposed is a pumped water system. There are no precautions put in place in the planning application to deal with such problems as pump failure.
The location and availability of suitable landfills for the disposal of boiler aggregate and Fly Ash (highly toxic and does not biodegrade – that means it does not break down into a simple, harmless product) is not addressed in the planning application for this development.

The R.A.I.D. (Rathcoole Against Incinerator Dioxins) Committee has also submitted a very detailed objection to a Waste Incinerator in Rathcoole and it has engaged a formidable team of legal, planning and scientific experts to represent them at the forthcoming Oral Hearing. To pay for costs that will be incurred, they have organized some fund-raising activities, including a Golf Classic in Killeen Golf Club (in Co. Kildare but close to Rathcoole) on Friday 17th October next. Any member of the public who wishes to provide some sponsorship for this event may contact any committee member in Rathcoole, including the PRO, Liam Mc Dermott.

The fall-out from any Waste Incinerator affects a 30- 35 mile radius and it is therefore important to realise that a Waste Incinerator in Rathcoole – on the edge of Dublin city and close to counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow - will affect all human, animal and wild life in those areas.

Liam Mc Dermott PRO for RAID