A report produced by Dúchas, the Heritage Service, on its use of an illegal dump in Co Tipperary has been criticised by Deputy John McGuinness, who first revealed the existence of the dump.
The Kilkenny TD has called on the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, to bring in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigators.
He said it was wrong for Dúchas and the Department of the Environment to investigate itself. "Joe Public would not be allowed to investigate himself if he was caught illegally dumping 4,000 tonnes of rubbish," he said.
He was referring to the illegal landfill used by Dúchas depots in Kilkenny, Clonmel and Cahir. The Office of Public Works (OPW) has started an internal investigation into how a truck from the former Dúchas depot in Kilkenny city, now under the control of the OPW, went to a site outside the village of Killenaule in south Tipperary and deposited material there.
Tipperary County Council (South Riding) and the Southern Regional Fisheries Board are examining the case.
An overview of the investigation ordered by Mr Cullen confirmed that staff employed by Dúchas at the Kilkenny national monuments depot and the Environment Department's national monuments depot in Cashel had been dumping departmental waste at an illegal landfill at Burnchurch, Moyglass since 1999. The site is located on a game reserve in a very scenic area. Tipperary South Riding County Council confirmed it is investigating the site.