Sinn Féin stops Poolbeg incinerator

There was a significant setback for the FF/PD government's strategy of imposing incinerators on communities throughout the country when on Tuesday night Sinn Féin's motion to keep the Poolbeg Peninsula incinerator-free won cross-party support. Sinn Féin Councillor Daithí Doolan described it as a great day for the local community and for all those campaigning for a long-term waste management strategy for Dublin city.

The Sinn Féin motion to Dublin City Council called for a new sub-zoning section whereby only industry which complies with a non thermal treatment policy would get planning permission. It was passed by a substantial majority. "This now rules out any incinerator on the Poolbeg Peninsula," said Councillor Doolan.

"This is a great victory not just for this community but for all those campaigning for a proper long term strategy to deal with waste management in this city. This is not a case of not in my back yard it is a demand for solutions to our waste management crisis which are safe and sustainable.

"None of us doubt that we face a waste crisis, but to simply impose an incinerator on the people of this city will do nothing to address the problem. In fact incinerators are part of the problem not the solution. And our job as elected representatives for this city is to weave together, with our respective mandates and responsibilities, a City Development Plan that benefits the people and communities of this city. Part of our responsibility in doing this must be to develop a sustainable city. The only way we can do that is to ensure that the industries we plan for actually contribute to that sustainability. incineration is not one of those industries.

"I would call on Dublin City Manager to now respect the wishes of the Council and to rezone this land to ensure that no incinerator is built. However, I also want to make clear that any challenge from the City Manager will be met with serious opposition from this party and the wider community who have campaigned long and hard on the issue.

"Sinn Féin stood on a clearly anti incineration platform in the recent election and have now gone on to win the argument in City Hall . We will continue to promote a zero waste strategy for this city, this region and this island. This is the first step in that journey."

The motion calling for rezoning was passed 32 for, 5 against and 3 abstained.