A Cork Fianna Fáil TD yesterday told an An Bord Pleanála oral hearing that a proposal for a national incinerator was made despite a promise to the local community that it would never happen. Louise Geaney reports.
Mr Batt O'Keeffe was speaking on the third day of the oral hearing in Cork into the proposed toxic waste incinerator in Ringaskiddy.
Mr O'Keeffe appeared as a witness for the residents of Ringaskiddy and one of the 24 objectors to the proposal, East Cork for a Safe Environment.
"That land was purchased and zoned for port-related activities and a national hazardous incinerator has proved to be absolutely divorced from that zoning.
"We in Cork County Council voted against a material contravention of the development plan to allow planning permission for this development," Mr O'Keeffe said.
"This community has already gone through turbulent times. We now have the situation in Ringaskiddy where there is a mix of developments, such as residential dwellings and the new maritime college, to show that the pharmaceutical industry does not pose any problems.
"The industry and the community respect and trust each other, the industry are living up to their commitments and are highly regulated," he said.
However, he added, a commitment was previously given by the Industrial Development Agency and the Cork County Manager to the community that a national incinerator would not be built on those lands.
"I see this now as being an absolute reneging of a promise to the people of Ringaskiddy.
"The bond of trust that has built up between the people of Ringaskiddy and Cork County Council has been broken, and it's my duty to tell the appeals process that this development should not be allowed," Mr O'Keeffe said.
The current appeal highlighted certain flaws in the planning system, he said.
"They are deciding on a planning application but have taken out environmental matters, because it's the remit of the EPA, and health because it's the remit of the Health and Safety Authority.
"But what are you left with to decide the planning? It now appears that the only thing to be taken into account is the traffic," he said.
Among other witnesses yesterday was Dr Myrtle Allen of Ballymaloe House the internationally known country house hotel at Shanagarry.
"Various tourists or visitors to Ballymaloe have told us to fight any plans for an incinerator.
"The ambience and appearance of Cork Harbour is a gift and something that should be looked after," Dr Allen said.
She added that it was a travesty of democracy that health and environmental concerns could not be mentioned at the hearing. "I'm sorry, but this is a hearing in which we are not being heard - incinerators are bad news," she told the planning inspector, Mr Philip Jones.