Minister for Environment, John Gormley, of the Green Party, has produced a plan to radically change waste management in Ireland by using many new levies and taxes to move from incineration to Mechanical and Biological Treatment (MBT). He has long stated that he will not accept the proposed incinerator in Ringsend, in his constituency, and this policy change is designed to stop that. As Dublin’s dumps have now filled up the waste will now have to be dumped in Wicklow (Ballynegran) and Kildare.

Dublin should process the bulk of its own waste and it is entirely irresponsible for a Minister to stop this when it will result in the waste being sent to surrounding counties. MBT plants can produce smells and they will be at least as unpopular as incinerators with local residents. They will take 10 years to build just like incinerators.

Ireland’s main priority is to reduce costs to make us completive so we can employ more people. It is appalling to see Minister Gormley gloating in imposing extra taxes and destroying more jobs. Instead of confronting everyone for his own electoral gain he should be negotiating with the incinerator builders, who have probably spent €10m so far, to build a half size one which would leave room for some experimental MBT plants.