Cabinet to study plans for county managers to bring in incineration

Proposals for legislation to give county managers authority to introduce incineration in their areas are likely to be brought before the Cabinet within weeks.

In the intensifying crisis over waste management the legislation, promoted by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, is aimed at combating the refusal by elected councils to introduce incineration or locate landfill sites in their areas. The proposals are separate from those for incinerating BSE-infected cattle.

The plans are described as a "two-part" process and similar to elements of the Traveller Accommodation Act, where councils were given a time limit to introduce a proper accommodation policy and locate halting sites. If they failed to agree on locations, the county managers then had the authority to make the decision.

A spokesman for the Department of the Environment refused to confirm or deny if the Minister was submitting plans to Government. It was "absolute policy" of the Minister and his Department not to publish proposals to be brought to Government before such a move. The spokesman would only say Mr Dempsey "is considering all options open to him" to deal with waste management problems.

The Minister has consistently criticised, both in the Dail and elsewhere, local councils for their failure to confront the crisis. In Galway last week he said the waste crisis was coming to a head and he reiterated comments in the Dail that he might have to take direct action over the failure by authorities to adopt waste management plans.

In this instance his ire was aimed at Galway Corporation and County Council. Ballinasloe had closed its landfill site to industrial waste. In addition, up to five regions are at crisis point. Dublin Corporation has adopted a waste management plan with a target of recycling 50 per cent of waste compared to the current 9 per cent.

The legislation is expected to face severe opposition from councils and TDs, and once implemented, proposals for incinerators will still be subject to existing planning criteria and integrated pollution controls.