An Irish Planning Students Blog » Infrastructure

Planning for new children’s hospital set to be lodged

Colin Broderick — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:39:46 +0000

Paul Cullen writes:

A PLANNING application for the new national children’s hospital on the Mater site in central Dublin is to be lodged later this month.

The development team behind the new hospital confirmed yesterday that it was pushing forward with the project, despite renewed criticism in recent weeks from retired heart surgeon Maurice Neligan and other leading doctors.

A spokesman for the National Paediatric Hospital Board said a detailed planning application for the project would be lodged in the week beginning August 16th, at which time detailed information on the plans would be provided.

The Department of Health said the project was “advancing to schedule” under the direction of the hospital board.

A detailed design brief had been finalised and the board was preparing to submit planning documents.

He declined to comment on the criticism by Dr Neligan, who last month announced he had changed his mind about the project and now opposes the development on the Mater site or at any of the existing children’s hospitals.

Writing in his regular column in The Irish Times ’s HEALTHplus magazine he admitted he had been wrong to support the plan when it was first unveiled: “I feel that neither the Mater nor the joint children’s hospitals may be best served by this proposed development on a geographically constrained site.”

Dr Neligan suggested a greenfield site with plenty of space and easy access be found as an alternative to current plans.

His stance has been supported by 25 leading medical specialists who say the placing of a national paediatric hospital in Dublin’s city centre is not in the best interest of the sick children of Ireland.

Last week, the Government included the proposed hospital in a list of priority projects that will go ahead, but dropped other healthcare projects.

Construction is due to begin next year and the completion date is 2014. The original budget for the hospital was €750 million but it is now expected to cost less.

IrishTimes

Transport plan would transform green

Colin Broderick — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:31:27 +0000

I can’t say I’m a major fan of the look of the new green with the lovely mature trees removed. But I suppose it is a necessary evil in order to get these much need projects off the ground. Maybe some new trees can be planted and it will look as fantastic as it does now in like 20 years. My major concern is what is going to happen to the lake, its the best feature and it will be a huge loss to the amenity of the park! Assuming it gets through planning successfully! My two cents at least.

Frank McDonald of the The Irish Times writes:

ST STEPHEN’S Green will be the principal casualty of the Government’s plans to go ahead with Metro North and Dart Underground, it is now clear from the environmental impact statement (EIS) on each of these costly projects.

The current construction cost estimate for Dart Underground, which is planned as the central spine of Dublin’s commuter rail services, is €2.5 billion. No figures are officially available for Metro North, but in 2005 it was estimated to cost €4.58 billion.

The Dart Underground EIS says construction of a shared station below ground at St Stephen’s Green as well as ventilation/intervention structures “will introduce major changes to the landscape and visual character and setting of the park”.

Describing these as the “most significant townscape and visual impacts” of the two projects, it says changes would include the temporary removal of some sections of boundary railings and park features as well as the felling of dozens of mature trees.

“The construction phase will result in significant impact on the landscape and visual amenity of the park, particularly from within the park, where the existing sense of ‘escape from the city’ will be lost” – at least until new semi-mature trees re-establish it.

DART Underground Route Schematic

The “ventilation/intervention” structure, to be built immediately behind the railings on the north side of the green, would be up to 4.2m high and 23.7m long; it would be impossible to provide screening for this building.

As the EIS on Metro North makes clear, most of the northwestern quadrant of St Stephen’s Green would be directly affected by the excavations for the two linked underground stations – including the lake populated by ducks, swans and waterhens.

It is understood that an earlier proposal by the Railway Procurement Agency to remove the Fusiliers’ Arch, facing the top of Grafton Street, has been reconsidered; instead, it would be retained in situ while the area around it is excavated to a considerable depth.

Hundreds of trucks would be needed to remove the spoil from the excavations for underground stations at St Stephen’s Green as well as O’Connell Bridge, Parnell Square East, the Mater hospital and other locations along the route of Metro North.

In the case of Dart Underground, the existing open-air amphitheatre at the Civic Offices on Wood Quay would be replaced by a “new urban civic space” that would include the entrance to an underground station north of Christ Church Cathedral.

This “will change the visual character and function of the space”, as the EIS says. “Nearby, a new ventilation structure will be introduced to the south side of the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Cook Street” – commonly known as Merchant’s Quay Church.

DART Underground Railway Order

During excavation works for each underground station, spoil would be removed by a fleet of trucks; in the case of St Stephen’s Green, there would be 198 truck movements per day in each direction – and this traffic would continue for 20 months.

It is also clear from the EIS that passengers seeking to connect with the existing Dart line at Pearse Station, Westland Row, would face a long walk as the new underground station is proposed to be built at the junction of Boyne Street and Sandwith Street.

The twin tunnels for Dart Underground, from Inchicore to Docklands, would be be excavated by a tunnel boring machine similar to that used in excavating the Dublin Port Tunnel. Additional excavation work would be required for the five underground stations.

“Significant works” are proposed within the historic Inchicore railway yards, “with the demolition of many existing buildings and the provision of a new station facility that will open up the site to greater public access”. This is being opposed by a local group.

August 18th is the deadline for making submissions to An Bord Pleanála on CIÉ’s application for a Railway Order. The four-volume EIS is available for public inspection at An Bord Pleanála, 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1; Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8; Heuston Station; Pearse Station; and Inchicore Works, Dublin 8. It may also be viewed on dart undergroundrailwayorder.ie

IrishTimes

Review of decision on Fingal Landfill sought

Colin Broderick — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:00:15 +0000

AN APPLICATION is to be made to the High Court seeking a judicial review of the decision to grant a licence to Fingal County Council for a landfill site at Nevitt near Lusk in north Co Dublin.

Gemma Larkin of Walshtown, Lusk, Co Dublin, a member of the Nevitt Lusk Action Group (NLAG), is seeking a review of the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in May this year to grant a licence for the landfill site.

The 300,000-tonne capacity landfill site, in which an estimated one-sixth of the State’s waste is to be dumped, is subject to more than 250 conditions relating to environment management operation, control and monitoring.

It was one of the most contested developments in Irish planning history, and the EPA held two public hearings about the site. The action group has already referred the agency’s decision to the European Commission and the European Petitions committee.

Papers are to be lodged today with the High Court, while the EPA, Fingal County Council and the Department of Environment, as notice parties to the case, have been informed of the application, being made on four grounds.

Ms Larkin said the licence granted contravenes the EU ground-water directive and would destroy ground-water in the area, a major horticulture location.

The applicant also says “bottom ash” – the residue after incineration from the Poolbeg incinerator complex at Ringsend – will be exported to Fingal. Ms Larkin claimed the original intention was to temporarily store bottom ash at Lusk and treat it to make it safe.

She claimed bottom ash from incineration has never been landfilled before and requires a strategic environmental assessment, but that there had been no investigations or examinations, and no review had been made of how it would be transported or what environmental effect that transportation would have.

Ms Larkin also claims the existing landfill site at Lusk is unauthorised and has not been properly remediated for use as landfill.

The applicant also alleges that the Aarhaus Convention, which obliges member states to allow citizens access to justice at reasonable cost, has not been implemented through legislation by the State. Ms Larkin said the convention allows concerned citizens to take legal action at reasonable cost, but such cases in Ireland can take years and cost millions.

Provision is being made to allow citizens to bring proceedings on issues of public interest where they would not face paying the State’s charges if they lost, but would still have to pay their own costs.

IrishTimes

Metro, Dart link included in €39bn revised capital plan

Colin Broderick — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:40:20 +0000

Of course lets not forget that DIT Grangegorman is approved under the plan! Well the first phase of Grangegorman at least. Woo as an alumni some day i will be able to visit DIT as a proper college with a campus. Pretty cool.

Big pity to see the Navan Rail line and the western rail corridor axed though. Not a great day for the west or the extended commuter belt in term of near term infrastructure.

Now this is not strictly planning related but i do have a problem with this plan. Its all about the building of the hard stuff, they are rejoicing on the news with the prospect of job creation and they are bandying around words like ‘sustainable jobs’, this presents jobs for a number of years and a very small portion after the projects have been built and where are we left then? Back to square one with all the construction workers with no big projects to build!

Still though I am so happy to see metro north given the go ahead, as i stand to benefit from it the most if i’m still living here when its finished that is.

The Government has announced a new €39 billion capital investment plan until 2016 that prioritises major projects such as Metro North, the Dart interconnector and the new DIT campus in Grangegorman but will result in delays for other promised infrastructure projects.

The new seven-year plan was unveiled at a press conference this afternoon by the Taoiseach Brian Cowen, the Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan and Green Party leader, the Minister for the Environment John Gormley.

Leaflet - Capital Expenditure Review

The overall budget for the programme of €39 billion compares to €75 billion for capital spending announced in the National Development Plan 2007 to 2013

Admitting that the economic downturn had led to a significant trimming of the sails as regards spending on capital projects, Mr Cowen pointed out that the Government was getting at least 30 per cent more value for money on capital projects.

He also said that in light of the recession and the changed political landscapes, a different programme was now needed. “We are identifying the priorities that will contribute to economic recovery,” he said, adding that the Government no longer had the money to do the all the work envisaged in the National Development Plan.

However, a number of major projects will go ahead as planned, if not quite to the timetable originally envisaged. They include the Metro North underground railway as well as the new underground Dublin interconnector that will link all the different rail systems in Dublin city centre.

The major plan to bring all the colleges of the Dublin Institute of Technology together in once campus at Grangegorman will still go ahead.

However, a number of other major projects will be long-fingered or modified. They include the Western Rail Corridor, the new prison at Thornton Hall in North Dublin and some of the medium-term road projects.

Mr Cowen said that all the major motorway routes will be completed this year on time and on budget and thereafter, the emphasis will be towards improving public transport, in Dublin and other urban centres.

The programme envisages that some 270,000 jobs will be created directly or indirectly from the investment. Mr Lenihan said this would constitute Ireland’s stimulus programme.

Investment in the programme amounts to 5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product as compared to a 2.9 per cent average in OECD countries.

The Taoiseach said he was not going to attempt to specify exactly how many jobs might be created under the programme.

“We are not running a Stalinist economy here. We do not set it out in those terms,” he said. Mr Lenihan said the programme was “a hard-headed and realistic look at what should be our priorities”.

“This has been considered in great detail in a number of Government meetings since Spring,” he said. He also confirmed that €1 billion of the €3 billion cuts in next December’s Budget would come from the capital Budget.

He said that there had been a lot of speculation in recent days about taxes and new charges being imposed in the Budget. He said that the Government’s main focus was controlling its spending and that no decisions on taxes would be taken until well into the autumn.

“Public debate on tax is entirely premature,” he said. In terms of departmental allocations, the departments that will lose funding compared to the NDP are: Transport (for roads’ budgets); Environment (for housing), Health; and Education.

Both Mr Cowen and Mr Lenihan accepted that about 5 to 7 per cent of school buildings would be of a temporary nature.

But Mr Lenihan also pointed out that the ‘modular-type’ structures being used for schools were a vast improvement and could not be compared with traditional pre-fabricated structures.

The reduction in the budget for social housing in the programme is significant. It also reflects a change of emphasis from the State purchasing housing stock, to leasing houses and apartments, as well as initiating rental accommodation schemes.

Mr Gormley said the budget would be €4.3 billion. Department officials later confirmed that the State would look at vacant housing stock and estates with a view to leasing property for tenants.

Asked why the houses would not be purchased, a Department of Finance spokesman said the State did not have the money to buy houses upfront and to pay the borrowing costs.

Irish Times

No water reserves in Dublin – report

Colin Broderick — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 19:17:12 +0000

WATER SUPPLY in the greater Dublin area is on a knife-edge, with demand likely to outstrip available reserves within a few years, according to a report prepared by consultants for seven local authorities.

The capital has no strategic reserves of water when it should have 10-20 per cent reserves at a minimum, while existing sources are operating near sustainable limits, the report by consultants RPS-Veolia JV states.

Dublin city councillors this week approved the consultants’ main proposal to bring excess water from the basin of the Shannon river to meet needs in the east and midlands.

The decision was taken by the council’s environment and engineering strategic policy committee (SPC) following a presentation by the consultants working for the Dublin Supply Project.

Dublin Supply Project Options © RPS Engineering

It is expected to be confirmed by the entire council later this year and will then go to An Bord Pleanála following a six-month consultation period.

The plan, the first major water supply project since the Liffey was dammed at Poulaphouca and Leixlip in the 1940s, will cost €470 million to construct over 10 years, with annual operational costs ranging from €8-15 million.

The report says the Dublin region is again approaching the stage where new long-term, secure and sustainable supplies of water are critical to its development and to the performance of the State.

“It has to be done; there is no other way,” said Fine Gael councillor Naoise Ó Muirí, who chairs the environment and engineering SPC.

The cost of operating desalination plants was too high, while international experience showed it was very difficult to reduce leakage below 20 per cent, he added.

There are currently four main water treatment plants in the greater Dublin region, which includes Kildare, north Wicklow and parts of Co Meath in addition to the capital. Their maximum output is between 540 and 550 million litres per day, while under normal circumstances demand is between 530 and 540 million litres per day.

The lack of space capacity in the Dublin system contrasts with Paris, where three treatment plants operate at just 60 per cent capacity.

The report says the fragility of the situation was starkly illustrated when increased leakages caused by last January’s cold snap led to restrictions in supply.

Leakage from the system has been reduced from 42 per cent in 1996 to 28 per cent in 2002, but the report says that the maximum supply levels will be reached in the 2020s despite further efforts to reduce leakage.

The report also points out that customer leakage losses average 65 litres per property per day, broadly comparable to the UK. It says this figure could be halved following the introduction of water metering.

“If a new source is not provided, the consequences would be supply restrictions of increasing frequency with impacts on social and economic interests combined with constraints on new development including employment generation in the region,” it warns.

A number of multinationals with plants in the region, such as Diageo, Intel and Wyeth, have expressed concern about the security and/or quality of water supplies, it is understood.

The report considered 10 different supply options, seven of them with the Shannon as the source, as well as a number of sites for desalination.

The preferred option, which involves taking the water from a point north of Lough Derg and piping it to a reservoir at a cutaway bog at Garryhinch, close to Portarlington, Co Laois, where it would be treated and distributed, involved the minimum cost, according to the consultants.

The Shannon proposal has met strong opposition from communities in the region, and local and national politicians.

IrishTimes

Poolbeg incinerator developers seek meeting with Cowen

Colin Broderick — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:34:57 +0000

It looks as if the Poolbeg Incinerator row is going to turn into a major political quagmire in the not so distant future!

THE DEVELOPERS of the €350 million incinerator proposed for Poolbeg in Dublin, which is opposed by Minister for the Environment John Gormley, have requested a meeting with Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Scott Whitney, president of Covanta Europe, told a press conference in Dublin yesterday the company had been in touch with Mr Cowen’s office. “We’ve suggested that at some point a meeting with the Taoiseach might be useful,” Mr Whitney said.

A spokeswoman for the Taoiseach confirmed the request for a meeting had been received and said it was “under consideration”. The proposed incinerator would be located in Mr Gormley’s constituency of Dublin South East.

Mr Gormley’s spokesman said: “This Government will not be dictated to by a private company into changing its waste policy. The aim of Government is to have a waste policy that looks after the interests of taxpayers, consumers and the environment.”

Mr Gormley last week published a draft waste policy plan which would make such incinerators unviable economically.

Mr Whitney insisted the proposed facility was not too large, adding: “Covanta’s always been confident that this project is correctly sized.”

Referring to the Minister’s preferred waste management solution, mechanical biological treatment (MBT), Mr Whitney said: “Why would the Ministry for the Environment want Dubliners to pay more for a less environmentally friendly process?”

He said the proposed project had been extensively vetted, reviewed and approved by “so many Government agencies that I can hardly keep track of them anymore”. He said the application for a foreshore licence was lodged in December 2008 and was still pending.

Referring to Mr Gormley, Mr Whitney said: “It seems to us that he’s saying, in his role as a judge relative to this situation, I know you’re guilty but I’ll give you a fair trial before I hang you.”

Mr Whitney said the construction process had been suspended since May 7th, although site clearance and some excavation had been carried out, “and we’re ready to ramp up at any time when the circumstances dictate”. He claimed the lack of a foreshore licence was holding up the project.

Asked if Covanta would consider suing the State if the project did not go ahead, he said “we wouldn’t rule anything out at this point”.

Mr Whitney said that Covanta had invested “tens of millions of euro to date” in the Poolbeg project.

IrishTimes

Study proposes range of schemes to protect and improve canals

Colin Broderick — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:35:53 +0000

FACILITIES FOR houseboats; horse-drawn barges; markets; concerts; water sports, shops and restaurants are proposed for the Royal and Grand canals in Dublin in a new report from Waterways Ireland.

The Dublin City Canals Study recommends a range of recreation, tourism and commercial schemes to protect and improve the canals and open up both waterways to a greater range of uses.

The study focuses on the Dublin city sections of the canals within the curtilage of the M50, from Spencer Dock to Granard Bridge in Blanchardstown on the Royal Canal on the northside of the city, and from Grand Canal Dock to Blackhorse Bridge at Inchicore on the southside.

The study recommends the creation or improvement of walking and cycling facilities and an improvement in appearance and maintenance of all parts of the canals, but also makes specific proposals for each section of the canals as they progress through the city centre and suburbs.

On the Royal Canal, Spencer Dock is identified as having potential for berthing for boats, outdoor exhibits and waterside retail units. Moving out towards Sheriff Street, the study sees space to create a marina on the eastern side of the canal, along with lifting rail bridges to allow boat access.

Where the canal passes Croke Park, the development of pedestrian links to the stadium and its museum are recommended. When it reaches the back of Mountjoy prison, the development of a public plaza with space for concerts and markets linked to the proposed Mountjoy redevelopment is proposed. At the other side of Cross Guns Bridge, there could be potential for a water sports centre at the sixth lock.

The canal develops a “rural feeling” as it moves through Cabra, the study says, and the improvement and conservation of the natural amenity is the focus in this area. As it moves towards Ashtown, there is potential for an activity centre and a cafe and restaurant.

Between Ashtown and Blanchardstown at the twelfth lock, there could be a horse-drawn barge service between rail stations. On the Grand Canal, the main focus for commercial development is in the city basin where there may be the potential to moor houseboats, stage events like fireworks displays and concerts, and create a hub for watersports.

The area between Baggot Street and Portobello already has a reputation as a “little Venice” the study says.

This could be enhanced with a food or art market, an exhibition space at Portobello harbour and the possible development of a boutique canal boat hotel.

Further out towards Dolphin’s Barn, Kilmainham and Inchicore, the recreation and amenity aspects of the canal are emphasised with proposals to develop parks and water sports.

The study acknowledges the structural problems along the canal, such as the construction of houses and industrial premises to the water’s edge and concerns over safety and security. It accepts the proposals will require substantial public and private investment.

However, Minister for Community Affairs Pat Carey yesterday said the study would be instrumental in developing the canals.

IrishTimes

Plan to close Rosslare-Waterford railway labelled ‘reckless foolishness’

Colin Broderick — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:14:37 +0000

BUSINESS LEADERS in the southeast have described as “reckless foolishness” the planned closure of the Rosslare to Waterford railway line, linking two of the country’s principal ports.

The service, which had been due to close permanently from tomorrow, has received a temporary reprieve as various State bodies argue over its future.

Iarnród Éireann has confirmed that its plan to “suspend” trains from July 21st and launch a replacement Bus Éireann service will not be implemented as scheduled. The closure of the line cannot proceed without the approval of the National Transport Authority, which is not now expected to announce its decision until “at least” September.

The railway line has been operating since 1906, but has suffered a decline in use in recent years and now offers just one train a day in each direction, with no Sunday service. Iarnród Éireann says the line is no longer economically viable, and attracts a daily average of only 25 passengers.

But South East Chambers, an “umbrella body” representing chambers of commerce in Carlow, Clonmel, Dungarvan, Enniscorthy, Gorey, Kilkenny, New Ross, Waterford and Wexford have said the planned closure was “not acceptable”, and the decision had been made in “an ivory tower in Dublin”.

In an “open letter”, the chambers accused Iarnród Éireann of running down and ignoring the Rosslare-Waterford line, and said a replacement bus service would “fly in the face of Ireland’s commitment to the Kyoto protocol to reduce carbon emissions”.

They pointed out “the great success of the Dart and Luas” proved that “properly managed rail transport attracts a greater volume of passengers than buses”.

The letter also berated Iarnród Éireann for having “closed down railway lines with great enthusiasm”, including the “beloved Waterford to Tramore line, which was actually showing a profit”.

Tanya Fenelon, chair of Save the Railway Group, said the line had a future if Iarnród Éireann carried more freight to Belview (Waterford) and Rosslare ports; improved the timetable to connect with other lines, and expanded the service by running three trains a day, instead of just one.

She contrasted poor service in Rosslare with that “on the Welsh side at Fishguard, where dedicated ‘boat trains’ link immediately with London-bound high-speed trains at Swansea and Cardiff”.

Ms Fenelon said “during the recent airspace closure, the Waterford-Rosslare train was standing room only – testimony to the line’s strategic economic importance as an integral part of this State’s southern sea-rail access corridor”.

Opposing replacement buses, she claimed “the train is a much cheaper alternative at present than travelling by bus”, explaining “the Bus Éireann fare is nearly twice as expensive as the train: an adult return ticket from Rosslare Harbour to Waterford is €20.50 while a rail ticket is €10.50”.

On Iarnród Éireann’s claim that the line is losing money, she said last Saturday evening she “counted 43 passengers boarding at Waterford” but “there was no ticket checker on board”.

IrishTimes

Bog in Offaly chosen as proposed site for reservoir

Colin Broderick — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:01:59 +0000

Tim O’Brien from the IrishTimes:

A 500-ACRE bog in Co Offaly has been chosen as the proposed site for an “eco water park and reservoir” as part of Dublin City Council’s plan to pump water from the river Shannon.

The council is proposing a €540 million, Government-funded project which would supply 350 million litres of water a day to the Dublin region.

In a move likely to meet strong opposition from west of Ireland interests, the council is seeking to source water from the Shannon to serve the capital’s drinking water needs for the next 70 years.

The council says the project would also supply water to residents and businesses in Meath, Wicklow, Kildare, Offaly and Westmeath. In a statement yesterday, the council said the project would create an “innovative water based eco-park with fishing, boating, cycling, water and leisure sports” in the midlands.

Veloia Water a joint partner in the Project

It said 1,000 construction jobs would be created alongside an unspecified number of long-term tourism and recreation jobs in the midlands. Consultants for the council, RPS and Veolia Water, envisage the water being taken from the Shannon at Lough Derg during periods of flood and high flows only.

The water would be stored at the new “eco park” at Garryhinch Bog, from where it could be pumped to Dublin or even back to the Shannon to be used during periods of low flows, according to the consultants.

The Shannon is subject to considerable flooding in winter but navigation hazards are frequently exposed in times of drought.

The average amount of water to be taken from Lough Derg under the proposal is 2 per cent. Consultants say this water currently flows into the Atlantic ocean every day.

Bord na Móna has expressed support for the project which is seen as being in line with its new corporate strategy. The board has recently received approval for new wind generated energy to supply up to 45,000 homes and the consultants claim this could be used to power the proposed midlands eco park. Details of the plans to take water from the Shannon are to be presented to the city council’s strategic policy committee on Thursday.

An environmental impact statement process will be undertaken and a planning application submitted to An Bord Pleanála, which will make the final decision on the project. The project does not require the permission of any local authority in the Shannon region, but would be dependent on funding from the Government.

Shannon Water Protection Alliance chairman Martin McEnroe said yesterday plans would be considered and given a measured response. But he said it made little sense under any national spatial strategy to locate factories and people on the east coast and to pump resources there to follow them.

“What happens if someone wants to open a factory in Athlone and there isn’t the capacity in the water system there” he asked. “This looks like it will prevent people remaining in the midlands where they grew up.”

Cowen urged to ‘show his hand’ on Dublin incinerator

Colin Broderick — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:53:39 +0000

TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has been challenged to “show his hand” over the Poolbeg incinerator and declare whether it is Government policy to allow it proceed or to be scrapped.

Fine Gael environment spokesman Phil Hogan said that it was now incumbent on Mr Cowen to state his position on the planned Dublin regional waste incinerator.

Last week Mr Gormley published a draft waste policy plan which strongly favours mechanical and biological treatment of waste over incineration.

If implemented, it would have the effect of making a large incinerator like Poolbeg unviable.

Mr Hogan said yesterday that Mr Cowen had merely welcomed the consultation process that will now take place in relation to the draft policy.

He claimed that Mr Cowen was “sitting on the fence” despite Fianna Fáil TDs from Dublin, notably the Dublin North deputy Michael Kennedy, supporting the project.

“The Taoiseach has remained silent on one of the major issues of the day and one in which a Minister of his Government has become personally involved in,” said Mr Hogan.

Mr Hogan asserted that Mr Gormley was not in a position to adjudicate on the foreshore licence for Poolbeg as he has a clear conflict of interest.

“Ministers for the environment in the bad old days adjudicated on planning decisions which was wrong. The Minister has to be seen to be above that.

“There is the potential liability of hundreds of millions of euro in the event of a proven case of breach of contract if this does not go ahead,” said Mr Hogan.

The planned facility at Poolbeg has a capacity of 600,000 tonnes. A “put-or-pay” clause requires the four Dublin local authorities to supply a minimum of 320,000 tonnes per annum.

Under the Minister’s proposals, the volume of waste going to incineration would be far less than that.

Dublin City Council yesterday warned that any variation on the contract to build a Dublin regional waste incinerator at Poolbeg could have serious financial repercussions, raising the possibility of a compensation claim.

However, that contention was rejected by Mr Gormley as “scaremongering”.

An authorised officer was commissioned by Mr Gormley’s department last March to examine various issues surrounding Poolbeg, including compensation.

The officer, John Hennessy, is due to report to Mr Gormley this week.

The City Council said it would examined the draft waste policy over the coming weeks but emphasised it was in a contractual situation for the construction of the plant.

Scott Whitney of Covanta, the developers of the incinerator, said there will be more than enough residual waste for Poolbeg, even when Dublin achieves its recycling target of 59 per cent.

IrishTimes