Dublin South East Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Doolan calls for time extension on Waste Management Review

Published: 20 July, 2004

Sinn Féin Representative for Dublin South East, Councillor Daithí Doolan, today called on the Department of Environment to, "immediately grant more time for public consultation on the review of current Waste Management Plans."

Mr. Doolan said, "The current Waste Management Plans, Adopted in 1998, are up for review. While I welcome this review I am also calling on the Department of Environment to extend the timeframe for public consultation beyond August. It is totally unrealistic to expect the public to participate in a process which ends in August. To fully ensure public participation the time frame must be extended until the end of September. The consequences of this plan are long term and will seriously impact on our everyday lives."

"The public, including community groups and NGOs, have a right to fully engage with this review but to limit the process until the end of August is undermining the confidence in the process itself. We have seen this government behave disgracefully when it comes to waste management and their attempt to force incineration on communities across this state. Once again we see the public being sidelined to facilitate the government's own agenda. It now appears the government would rather have a cosy cartel running our waste industry as oppose to an open inclusive and accountable process."

Mr. Doolan outlined that, "Sinn Féin intends to make a detailed submission to the review. We will be calling for a Waste Management plan based on a Zero Waste Strategy. To address the current crisis we must reduce, reuse and recycle the waste we produce. The government must realise that the debate has moved beyond incineration or landfill and the plans must reflect this."

Mr. Doolan concluded by calling on the department to immediately, "allow local authorities to extend the time frame and commence an proactive public campaign of consultation. Waste management is all our responsibilities and the public have a right to participate fully in providing solutions."