Serious irregularities in dioxin figures in Indaver’s planning application have been exposed on the final day (May 17 2016) of the 17 day hearing into Indaver’s third application to build a 240,000 tonne incinerator at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, which according to the hearing Inspector Derek Daly bring “the veracity of documentation into question”.
Dioxin tables which purport to be modelled using 2015 soil samples from the vicinity of the proposed incinerator site, are instead a carbon copy of the dioxin tables submitted with Indavers 2008 Ringaskiddy Application and relate to values from the soil samples taken for that application.
Alarmingly, they are also the same dioxin tables submitted to An Bord Pleanala as part of a 2008 application by College Proteins Ltd to build an incinerator in Nobber, Co Meath.
Questions on dioxin modelling were being posed by Dr Gordon Reid, Senior Lecturer Physiology at UCC and answered by Dr Fergal Callaghan, AWN Consulting who prepared the Soil and Sediment Report submitted by Indaver.
Following a break to consider the new information Senior Inspector Derek Daly returned after “giving careful consideration to matters raised”, and said that he deemed it more appropriate to see the hearing out “rather than to adjourn at this time” and would report to the Board giving an account of matters and a recommendation. He stated that the Board could, if they wished, request further information at that stage.
Joe Noonan, CHASE Solicitor however requested that the Inspector convey to the Board that “The information is not further information. The information is before the Board. It was put to the test today and it failed the test.”
Concluding statements were delivered by all parties. In her concluding statement, CHASE Chairperson Mary O’Leary said “The Community are quite shocked by information that has come to light this morning. This company has no regard for the community and are treating us like pawns in a chess game rather than real people.” Read Full Statement
Paying tribute to the community Ms O’Leary said “We strongly reject Indaver and their application. The site is fundamentally unsuitable and all Indavers problems stem from this. The expertise and the knowledge we have in our community is second to none and something that we are all very proud of. We are a proud community, a strong community and a united community. John Ahern, Indaver MD said to us many years ago that apathy would get this application through. There is no apathy in this community. Cork harbour has changed beyond recognition. The hope we have for our harbour is now within our grasp.”
Ms O’Leary summarised the key aspects of the application as laid out by parties during the hearing, which included PDForra, the Department of Defence, all 4 sitting TD’s and academic, professional and technical experts. She asked the Inspector take those to the board saying “Now we ask you and the Board most sincerely to refuse this application outright. We want our harbour to flourish in a way that will benefit the greater good not a vested interest.”
The last application was refused in 2011 following a 20 day hearing in 2009. An Bord Pleanala aims to deliver a ruling by 12 July 2016.
