Newry and Armagh assembly member Conor Murphy, Newry and Mourne District councillors, Davy Hyland and Pat Mc Namee, and Louth County Councillor Arthur Morgan gathered last week to express their common concern at the proposed Dublin Government plan for incineration in the North East Region.

``The Irish government's waste management plan for the North East Region will create a mini-Sellafield right on our borders,'' Arthur Morgan, Sinn Féin councillor in Louth, warned. ``Have we not suffered the effects of Sellafield long enough?''

Newry and Armagh assembly member Conor Murphy said that, given the fallout from incineration, the plants would have severe health and environmental implications for County Armagh and County Down, and County Louth.

``It potentially has very significant consequences for the Newry and Mourne, perhaps even the Banbridge and Armagh, district areas,'' he said.

Arthur Morgan said a principal concern of residents was the potential effect of toxic waste ash and poisonous waste particles dispersed by the wind.

``Experts estimate the most contaminated area is within a 40-mile radius of the actual incinerator.'' (See accompanying map) ``There is no doubt that if Louth County Councillors make the mistake of accepting incineration for the North Eastern region, then it will affect all these areas in a 40 mile radius.''

Newry and Mourne district councillors Davy Hyland and Pat McNamee said they would be calling on the council to investigate the potential threat to the Newry area.

Raymond O'Malley, chairman of the Louth county executive of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), said there was genuine concern among farmers that incineration would leave a legacy of increased dioxins in food. Mr O'Malley suggested multinational supermarkets no longer wanted to buy dairy or meat products from anywhere within a 40-mile radius of an incinerator. Farm incomes, across the whole border area are at stake.

He added that Ireland's reputation as a food producer was gradually increasing and he believed incineration would destroy the green image of Irish agriculture internationally.

``Are there other options? Agricultural waste is a problem. Most of it is recycled yet there is no policy to help this area,'' he said. ``Our tillage and grass farms in this county could absorb and recycle surplus and damaging animal waste from counties like Cavan and Monaghan and develop a more organic style of farming.

``There is no question,'' says Arthur Morgan, ``that this issue is across borders. Councillors in Louth, when they come to make up their minds in the next few weeks on whether to accept the draft plan, need to take their responsibility to all the people of Ireland seriously.''

Incinerator protest reaches Dublin Castle

Representatives from community and environmental groups from all over Ireland came to Dublin on Tuesday, 10 October, to protest their opposition to incineration in any part of Ireland. They were picketing the Irish Danish Conference in Dublin Castle, where many so called `experts' and council managements were gathered together to consider the Danish model for Waste Management.

``It is not an acceptable model for Ireland. Denmark has destroyed their agricultural environment with incineration pollution,'' said Daithí Doolan, Sinn Féin representative for Ringsend, where the government proposes to place an incinerator. ``We have no need whatsoever to slavishly follow their model.''

Donal Ó Bearra, a UDC member all the way from Ennis, Co Clare, pointed out the dishonesty in linking our need to reduce dependence upon landfill with incineration. ``These two are not alternatives, and it is dishonest to suggest that they are.''

Campaigners came from all over the country. There were 17 areas represented. Some came from as far away as Cork, Clare, and Waterford, to protest their opposition.

Meanwhile the campaign to stop consukltants MC O'Sullivan's draft plans across the regions suffered a reverse in County Roscommon, two weeks ago, when Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors loudly professed their opposition to incineration in the morning, and then in the afternoon, when the vote was taken, trooped back into the council to vote support for the plan. ``This would not have happened, had there been Sinn Féin Councillors on Roscommon County Council,'' said one anguished campaigner, disgusted at the deception of the councillors.

Last week there was a landmark decision at a special meeting of South Dublin County Council, which heard a resounding `No' to any household charge for waste collection. Of the four Dublin Authorities, only Dun-Laoghaire-Rathdown Council has imposed annual charges for waste collection. Dublin City Corporation has yet to take a decision.