Update from RAID on Opposition to the Incinerator 16 July 2008

RAID had another successful meeting in Rathcoole Community School on Wednesday 16th July. Over 200 people attended the meeting, including many of the local Councillors and Senator, which was called to update the residents of the progress made so far. Some of the main points that came out of the meeting were;

• Objection prepared by planning consultants is complete and will be lodged today Friday 18^th of July
• We hope to focus our attention on intensifying the media coverage over the next couple of weeks
• We have made contact with a number of other anti-incineration groups with a view to sharing information and strengthen the collective efforts of all the individual groups
• Fundraising will be a priority in the coming weeks to ensure that sufficient funds are available to pay the experts required at the oral hearing. Many of these experts will give of their time freely but others will require payment. An oral hearing will continue for weeks.
• We want to remind people that the deadline for objecting is July 23^rd and draft letters of objection are available on the web site and at the Rathcoole Community Centre.
• It was noted that South Dublin County Council’s manager has recommended refusal of this project with the backing of all the local Councillors. It was emphasised that An Bord Pleanala (ABP) have the power to over-rule the manager’s decision citing ‘Government Policy’ as a reason to grant permission. Therefore we urge everyone to firstly object to ABP to show the ground swell of support for RAID and secondly to lobby the politicians who can influence government policy.

Many thanks to all those who attended the meeting last night. It is a great encouragement to all the committee members who are working hard on our behalf. The sum of €2,300 was raised on the night between car bumper stickers, the Sean Reid bucket at the door and some private donations. Very, very sincere thanks to all who donated and everyone who has supported us in other ways.

Councillors Oppose New Incinerator for Capital - article in Evening Herald 15 July 2008

Councillors in South Dublin have angrily dismissed plans for an incinerator in the Rathcoole area. If the plan is approved it would be the third incinerator to be given permission in the Dublin area. It now seems unlikely to go ahead as the council has unanimously oppposed it and communicated this to An Bord Pleanála, who have the final say.

Five separate motions, all rejctin the incinerator were agreed upon by the Council.

Green Party Councillor, Tony McDermott said "The Green Party opposes incineration as not necessary and too risky."

Councillor Mick Murphy rejected the plans on health and safety grounds, saying that the stack for the incinerator, while 84m highm would only stick above the ground 9m and blow emissions at a low level. He added that until recycling reaches 50% they should not be thinking of incineration.

Labout Councillor, Paddy Cosgrave, acknowledged that people may view the decision as only locals being opposed to the incinerator, but said residents in towns further away were also  concerned. "I live in Rathfarnham and residents there are against it. People are fearful of being downwind of the fumes" he said.

Labour Councillor, Eamonn Maloney, was sceptical of the idea that Dublin needs another incinerator. "We should put this in perspective. Dublin by European standards is a very small city" he said. "Can anyone stand up and ssay that a city of 1.3 million people will create enough waste to fee three incinerators?"

Independent Guss O'Connell agreed, saying, "If we did it we'd have to feed the monster" and we "are wasting nature's resources" while John Hannon, Fianna Fáil, said "we'd be importing waste from other countries." He said he was also worried that the contract could be sold to a less reliable operator in the future and become more dangerous.

Other councillors resented having to make submissions to An Bord Pleanála, who are unelected. Fine Gael Councillor, Colm Brophy said "we are sitting here, as elected representatives, talking about making submissions to an unelected body. It's a travesty of democracy." He also called upon the council to agree not to use the incinerator for any of its own waste, if by chance the project gets the go-ahead.

REPORT by Dermot Ryan Evening Herald