The Minister for Environment, John Gormley, said people will not be exposed to any health risk because of hazardous waste at the site of the former Irish Ispat steel plant at Haulbowline in Cork.
Speaking this afternoon, he said he hoped to bring a report to Government later this year outlining options to deal with an estimated half a million tonnes of waste.
Mr Gormley rejected claims last night by an environmental group of a cover-up over contamination at the site.
Friends of the Irish Environment accused Cork County Council, agents for the clean-up by the Department of the Environment, of using “Cabinet confidentiality” to refuse them technical reports.
Fine Gael’s Simon Coveney accused Minister of State Máire Hoctor of misleading the Dáil this afternoon by claiming that during the past five years, only a surface investigation has been conducted of the site.
Mr Coveney made the accusation during a debate on a Private Notice Question put by himself and Cork TDs David Stanton, Deirdre Clune, Sean Sherlock and Ciaran Lynch on the issue.
“The Minister’s response this afternoon regarding hazardous waste at Haulbowline has raised more questions about the safety of local people, in particular naval personnel, than it has answered. Deposits of heavy metal and toxic chemicals are a very serious matter and raise serious health and safety and environmental issues,” he said.
“At this stage, it is still very unclear as to what dangers this waste poses. Are toxic chemicals seeping into the sea and harbour area?”
Deirdre Clune said Mr Gormley needed to come before the Dail at the “first opportunity” to answer questions.