Debate to be held on Hazardous Waste

Fine Gael Cork South Central TD, Deridre Clune, along with other Fine Gael Cork TD's have secured an emergency debate this afternoon on the emerging scandal involving the Government's attempt to cover up their plans to allow 500,000 tonnes of toxic waste to remain untreated in Cork Harbour.

"This is a serious scandal involving allegations that the Government ranked budget considerations above public health considerations. The allegation that Minister Gormley's Department was planning to allow hazardous waste, including the carcinogenic Chromium 6, to remain untreated in the centre of a highly populated area is an allegation that the Minister cannot be allowed to ignore.

"I will be asking the Government to explain the actions of his Department in this attempted cover-up and to set a timetable for the removal of this cauldron of toxic and carcinogenic substances.

"As leader of the Green Party, Minister Gormley needs to show that environmental protection is not yet another core Green Party value which has been sold out to Fianna Fáil in return for Ministerial Mercs and political perks."

The Department of the Environment have attempted to cover up its role in issuing instructions to cap, rather than remove, hazardous and potentially carcinogenic waste at the former Irish Steel Plant in Cork Harbour. This is a scandel that the EPA and Cork County Council were implicit in. Heads should roll