In my opinion the best thing to come out of the government negotiations is that Katherine Zappone is now at the cabinet table. That’s all I‘m saying on the matter – I don’t want to lose readers. Over the weekend I learnt a new fact about the Dáil chamber - it used to be a lecture theatre! Anyway, day twelve, Monday 9th May. The day began with the Inspector informing us that … [Read more...]

I go to my seat at the table on the eleventh day of the hearing, Thursday 5th, to be asked to move by the first speakers of the day because they wanted my chair. I'm polite; I say it's fine, the chair’s all yours, and I find myself on the Indaver table. I say to myself, it's grand, when they've finished speaking I can have my regular chair back. The first speakers were an … [Read more...]

Now I don’t know who put flowers in my glass on the evening sitting of Wednesday 4th, but that was truly lovely of you, thank you! I arrived a little late for the evening session of Wednesday 4th. Jennifer Hayes was talking about the psychological effects of the proposed incinerator, from two angles: firstly, the neurotoxins that can affect the developing brain, and secondly … [Read more...]

Day ten of the oral hearing began with a reply from Indaver to the submissions put in by the Department of Defence and the Air Corps. The first document claims that a no-fly zone around the incinerator would not be needed. The second is from Indaver expert Dr Edward Porter, and it looks at the risk to aircraft from emissions. The third is from Wind Farm Aviation Consultants … [Read more...]

They've changed the lighting in the hall from pink to turquoise, and the chairs around the tables have been switched. The Inspector has a new assistant. But Rory Mulcahy, senior counsel for Indaver, still looks permanently amused, and Paul Murphy, Cork County Council, still looks like he's resigned himself to this hearing. We still have our dedicated audience, the lovely … [Read more...]