25 January 2001 Edition

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Fierce opposition to Louth/Meath incinerator

BY ROISIN DE ROSA
     
We will fight an incinerator at Carranstown to the bitter end. We won't have it here, or anywhere

In the tiny village of Duleek, County Meath, last Thursday, between 500 and 600 people filled a hall to capacity. They were overflowing out to the street. Indaver, a Belgian multinational company, had applied for planning permission four days earlier to build an incinerator on the village's doorstep, at Carranstown.

The meeting proved to be an extraordinary exercise in local democracy. People listened, rapt, to a masterful and clear exposition of the dangers of dioxins to human and animal health from UCG scientist and academic, Dr. Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. They heard a moving account from Aine Suttle from the Galway for a Safe Environment (GSE) campaign group, of a successful campaign in Toronto, Canada, against incineration. Suttle also described the cheaper alternative provided by recycling, which in California has reached over 80% of total waste and in Canberra Australia had reached 50% by 1996, with costs falling every year.

Then Sinn Féin's Arthur Morgan spoke. His legal challenge to Louth County Council chairman's ruling that the council members had overturned their decision to reject the Waste Management Plan for the region is expected to come before the courts next week.

Morgan said, ``I am not here to support your campaign. I am here to be a part of it. We are part of this campaign, because this incinerator affects us all in the North East Region, in Louth, only 10 miles from here, just as in Cavan or Monaghan. We reject this plan for incineration, which Minister Dempsey is attempting to railroad through over the heads of the people who live here. We will fight against an incinerator anywhere in Ireland.''


Councillors want to ``reflect''


The people called their public representatives and councillors to account. Some Meath councillors attended. Councillors Cudden and Killian gave fulsome praise to the organisers of the meeting, said how much they had learned, and, wait for it, how they ``would go away and reflect''. Independent Councillor Tom Kelly bemoaned how powerless councillors were, and how without resources of government or party, he had been unable to inform himself.

He was promptly rebuked by Louth County Councillor Dr. Mary Grehan, who has been to the fore of the campaign in Louth against incineration. She told the meeting that she had no difficulty informing herself anytime. ``I only have to lift the phone.''

``Councillors have an absolute duty to inform themselves, because it is you who we will hold responsible if any of our children fall sick as a result of incinerator emissions,'' said Owen Herr, chairman of the Louth People Against Incineration group.


Joe Reilly Calls for Council to meet


Other Meath councillors didn't bother to come at all, or preferred to reflect in silence. Sinn Fein coluncillor Joe Reilly, one of only four members of Meath County Council who voted against the Regional Waste Plan last 3 July, may have drawn a sudden halt to their reflections, however. On Tuesday, he put in an emergency motion to the council to call a special meeting to review the 3 July decision in favour of the Regional Plan.

John Bruton, local TD, gave a lengthy disputation from the floor, on Fine Gael's coming discussions on waste management policies. He was pushed to clarify his exact position on Indaver's proposal. He couldn't, he said, oppose incineration for now and all time, however he did think there should be a moratorium ``whilst further research could verify the claims of the opponents of incineration.

``We should take time out: that's my view,'' he stridently declared.

This, of course, had not prevented Bruton from going on LMFM radio the same week to say that he, and his party policy, were in favour of incineration.


Thousands of objections


The meeting listened politely, but it was evident people were not content. ``It is actions, not words, the people are looking for now. It is only the power of the people that will defeat this plan,'' said meeting chair Brian Hanratty.

``We are looking for thousands of objections, from all over the country. An incinerator here will affect us all. People have a right to preserve their environment and the health of their children,'' he said.

Next week, the court may decide on Arthur Morgan's challenge to the council chairperson's interpretation of the Louth Council vote. By then, perhaps Meath county councillors, at Joe Reilly's request, will have had the opportunity to reverse their decision on the Regional Plan and reject it, as the 25,000 people who have signed the petition have asked them to do.

``What is at stake here,'' says Arthur Morgan, ``goes to the very heart of local democracy. It is about the power of local councillors to represent the people and reject the role cut out for them by Minister Dempsey to act as a rubber stamp for the department's plan for regional incinerators.''


Threats


The minister has already warned Galway local authorities that he may opt for ``direct action'' if they do not accept the Connacht Waste Management Plan, with its proposed incinerator for Galway. The plan was unanimously rejected by the City and the County last summer.

Similar to his threats to Dublin councillors on waste charges (where he threatened to sack the council) Dempsey is now threatening to make legislative changes so that he can impose the waste plan through the council executive, without the sanction of the elected representatives.

Will the Galway councillors be intimidated? The next few weeks will tell.

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