| TIMELINE | 20 years of key dates – CHASE (Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment) |
| Nov 2001 | First planning application lodged: Indaver lodges planning application with Cork Co. Council for Waste Management facility in Ringaskiddy Co. Cork, consisting of a 100,000 Tonne per annum capacity Hazardous Waste Incinerator, a Hazardous Waste storage and transfer facility, and a waste recycling facility. |
| April 2003 | Cork County manager proposed a material contravention of the Cork County Development Plan which would allow for the granting of planning permission for the project. |
| April 17th 2003 | Indaver lodges an operating licence application with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). |
| May 26th 2003 | Cork County Councillors reject a material contravention of the Development Plan. |
| May 27th 2003 | Cork County Council REFUSES planning permission for the proposed Indaver development. |
| June 2003 | Indaver lodges an appeal with An Bord Pleanala to overturn the County Council refusal. |
| June 2003 | CHASE and over 20 other parties lodge counter appeals with An Bord Pleanala to uphold the planning REFUSAL. CHASE demands an oral hearing to involve the public and highlight the issue. |
| August 2003 | EPA announces receipt of Environmental Impact Statement from Indaver and invites comments from the public. |
| Aug 2003 | An Bord Pleanala grants an ORAL Hearing to CHASE. |
| Sept 2003 | An Bord Pleanala sets date for Oral Hearing, 22nd Sept 2003, in Neptune stadium, Gurranabraher, Cork. |
| Sept 22nd to 9th Oct 2003 |
A long and detailed Oral Hearing takes place, presided over by a Senior Planning Inspector of An Bord Pleanala (Mr. Philip Jones).
In his report, the inspector gives 14 major planning reasons why planning permission should be REFUSED. So convinced was he that planning would not be granted, that he set no conditions for the development if it were to go ahead. |
| 15th Jan 2004 | After three meetings, An Bord Pleanala decides not to accept the report and recommendations of their Senior Inspector and they grant permission to Indaver to build a hazardous waste incinerator at Ringaskiddy. |
| 9th Mar 2004 | Ringaskiddy and District Residents Association and 11 harbour residents lodge an application with the High Court for a judicial review of An Bord Pleanala’s decision. |
| 19th Apr 2004 | High Court appeal adjourned for three weeks. |
| 10th May 2004 | High Court appeal adjourned until 11th June at the request of the State and An Bord Pleanala. |
| 11th June 2004 | High Court appeal adjourned for the third time. Counsel for An Bord Pleanala and the Attorney General requested this extension to get their documentation in order. The Judge said the matter will be raised again in three weeks, at which time he expects a full High Court hearing into the matter. |
| 2nd July 2004 | High Court application adjourned for a fourth time at request of An Bord Pleanala. |
| 16th July 2004 | Indaver project Manager, Laura Burke leaves her responsibility for the Cork and Meath incinerator proposals to take up employment as a Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
| July 27th, 2004 | After numerous deferrals and postponements a date for hearing the cases of An Bord Pleanala, the State and the Attorney General, as to why the application should not proceed, has finally been granted. The defending parties will present their arguments on 27th October, 2004. |
| Oct 26th 2004 | EPA announces draft operating licence. |
| Oct 27th, 2004 | No judge was available to hear the case, which was listed for mention again on November 11th. |
| Jan 24th, 2005 | High Court gives go-ahead for Judicial Review. |
| Feb 14th 2005 – Mar 1st 2005 | EPA Oral Hearing. Fifteen objections were received by the EPA. Most parties presented their objections at the Oral Hearing held at Cork Airport Hotel. The board of directors of the EPA rejected calls to attend the Hearing. Decision expected in October. |
| Nov 25th 2005 | EPA grants licence for two incinerators in Ringaskiddy. |
| Jan 20th 2006 | Ringaskiddy and District Residents’ Association Ltd lodge an application with the High Court for a judicial review of the EPA’s decision. No date has yet been set for hearing. |
| March 29, 2006 | National Maritime College of Ireland opens in Ringaskiddy, opposite the proposed incinerator site. |
| May 5th, 2007 | CHASE launches election flier. Voters asked to vote only for parties with NO INCINERATION in their Party Policies. |
| Nov 2007 | Adjournment sought by Judicial Review applicants pending outcome of a case against Ireland by the European Commission. |
| Feb 2008 | Indaver make first steps in Strategic Infrastructure process, and submit for qualification to An Bord Pleanala |
| Feb 2008 | Adjournment of EPA decision turned down by High Court, but appealed to Supreme Court |
| June 2008 | Appeal to Supreme Court heard and Supreme Court reserved judgement at that time. (Re EPA license) |
| August 2008 | State and Indaver look for costs against residents in planning appeal case. |
| November 2008 | The State agrees to drop costs against residents. Indaver keep costs order. |
| November 2008 | Planning case dropped by agreement of all parties (due to imminent strategic infrastructure application). As part of these negotiations the residents had to agree to drop the license case as well. Waste license stands. |
| Nov 28 2008 | Second Application lodged: Indaver lodge application for Hazardous and Municipal Waste Incinerators under fast-track Strategic Infrastructure process. |
| December 2008 | Bord Pleanala, who had not agreed to drop costs in relation to the withdrawn court cases, are refused costs in court. |
| Dec 2008 | Court proceedings withdrawn on agreement by all parties in conjunction with dropping of planning case with new application pending. |
| Feb 2009 | Incinerator discussed at Cork County Council meeting, Councillors Pass Motion opposing Incinerator, and the County Manager says it’s too big, Cork Co Council are on target to meet landfill diversions without it, and the County Planner has serious concerns about visual impact. |
| April 27 2009 | Oral Hearing Starts at Cork International Airport Hotel and finally concludes on 18 June after a 3 week break mid-way to allow for the consideration of further submissions presented by the applicants |
| Nov 19 2009 | International Review of Waste Management published by Government |
| Jan 22 2010 | An Bord Pleanala announce that they will ‘probably’ refuse permission for Municipal Incinerator, but will consider granting planning to Hazardous Waste Incinerator, pending the submission of more information on flood and coastal erosion mitigation by Indaver |
| April 13, 2010 | An Bord Pleanala grant Indaver a further extension until to 3 August to submit further information on flooding and coastal erosion mitigation measures |
| April 14, 2010 | CHASE refers the perpetual extensions being granted to Indaver by An Bord Pleanala to the European Commission |
| 5 August 2010 | Indaver submit further information |
| 26 October 2010 | Cork County Council Pass Motion of Dissatisfaction at Indaver Response to An Bord Pleanala |
| February 2011 | Health Service Executive make formal their concerns about Indavers project |
| March 2011 | European Court Of Justice Rules Against Ireland On Foot Of Complaints Filed By CHASE |
| 10 June 2011 | INDAVER REFUSED PERMISSION TO BUILD AFTER 10 YEAR BATTLE |
| 23 July 2011 | Indaver appeal for Judicial Review |
| November 2011 | Laura Burke, former Project Manager for Indavers incinerator projects appointed as Director General of EPA by Phil Hogan |
| 1 March 2012 | CHASE vote to be represented at Indavers High Court challenge of planning decision |
| September 2012 | Indaver announce to public they are once again in ‘pre-application consultations’ with Bord Pleanala for a new application. Pre-consultation talks opened on 30 August 2012 |
| October 2012 | Indaver retreat at last minute from High Court Case, due to start 23 October, notifying the High Court on 22nd |
| January 2013 | Judge awards costs to costs to An Bord Pleanala and CHASE and scolds Indaver for Indaver ‘abuse of court process’ |
| February 2013 | Indaver withdraw Costs appeal |
| July 2015 | Indaver formally announce new application, following a 3 year pre-consultation period with Bord Pleanala. |
| December 2015 | Storm Frank causes major erosion on Indavers Gobby Beach boundary |
| January 2016 | 3rd Application lodged with An Bord Pleanala |
| February 2016 | Indaver top the EPA’s worst offenders list for 2016 |
| 26 February 2016 | Huge explosion rocks Indavers flagship Antwerp plant. |
| March 2016 | Deadline for observations on application 9 March. |
| April 2016 | Bord Pleanala refuse CHASE request for more time than the 18 days notice period given to prepare for Oral Hearing. Bord cite need to meet July 2016 decision deadline |
| April 19 2016 | Oral Hearing opens at Carrigaline Court Hotel to a packed room under Senior Planning Inspector Derek Daly. The Department of Defence, the Minister for Defence (Simon Coveney), Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and all TD’s from the South Central constituency make presentations objecting during the hearing. The hearing runs for 17 days. |
| May 17 2016 | Hearing closes, exposing serious dioxin irregularities on the final day, which the hearing Inspector said ‘bring the veracity of documentation into question’ |
| 12 July 2016 | The date of 12 July as set for a decision under Strategic Infrastructure guidelines passes, with Bord Pleanala deferring a decision and setting a date of 26 October for a decision. |
| October 2016 | Decision deferred a second time to 24 January 2017 |
| January 2017 | European Commission reports on the implementation of the Circular Economy Plan recommends moratorium on new incinerators |
| January 2017 | Decision deferred a third time. 10 March is set as the new decision deadline. |
| March 2017 | Deadline of 10 March is not met, decision is deferred for a fourth time and Indaver are subsequently invited to submit further information on helicopter flight risk close to incinerator plume as well as an opportunity to correcting the dioxin figures exposed on the final day of the hearing. A decision date of 10 August is posted on Bord Pleanala website. |
| May 2017 | Observers are given 6 weeks to respond to the further information submitted by Indaver at the request of An Bord Pleanala |
| July 2017 | Local Area Plans agreed by Cork County Council on 25 July see Indaver site in Ringaskiddy rezoned from industrial to educational use. |
| August 2017 | Decision deferred for a fifth time to 10 September 2017 |
| September 2017 | Decision deferred for a sixth time. Bord Pleanala invite Indaver in ’the interests of natural justice’ to respond to observations made on their additional information. |
| October 2017 | Bord Pleanala website states ‘Case is due to be decided by 27th October, 2017’ |
| October 24 2017 | Decision deferred for a seventh time. Bord Pleanala website lists decision for 19 December |
| May 2018 | Permission granted against the recommendations of the Oral Hearing planning inspector, 30 May 2018. |
| July 2018 | 24 July 2018 Leave to take Judicial review to the High Court granted. |
| March 2019 | High Court Hearing begins on 19 March 2019 and concludes on 27 May |
| May 2021 | |