Failure to deal with Poolbeg could affect investment - Regan

SEANAD REPORT:THE FAILURE of the Minister for the Environment John Gormley to deal with the foreshore licence application relating to the Poolbeg incinerator project could impact adversely on this country's ability to attract overseas investment, Eugene Regan (FG) warned.

Noting the intervention of the US ambassador and the two-year delay by the Minister in dealing with the application, Mr Regan said the very serious issue that arose was that of abuse of office.

There was a risk of legal action being taken against the State by the company in question, which had a legitimate expectation that the relevant rules and regulations would be applied in a transparent manner.

Whatever the merits of the project, decisions had been made. The Minister had to know that he could not act in an arbitrary manner.

Mr Regan said he thought the Minister should recognise that he was conflicted, given that the incinerator was to be located in his constituency. “I think this matter should be handled by another Minister .”

Ivana Bacik (Lab) said she thought the policy of mass incineration had been shown to be outdated. They should be looking at more reliance on renewables.

The Minister was conflicted, but she thought that the people of Dublin South East would be most unhappy that the incinerator still appeared to be going ahead, despite the stalling tactics adopted by the Minister.

Meanwhile, the Dáil might have to be recalled to deal with “very good” amendments likely to be made to the Civil Partnership Bill, in the Seanad, Terry Leyden (FF) said. It was unfortunate that the debate on the Bill was not due to be taken until after the Dáil had gone into recess.

Rónán Mullen (Ind) had earlier said that it would be unacceptable if there was to be no possibility of Seanad amendments being considered by the Dáil.

Elsewhere, some people were being tortured to death by the economic crisis and the unavailability of appropriate medical services, Mary White (FF) said.

According to a research body, the indications were that the frightening 25 per cent rise in suicide in 2008-09 had been due to the recession. It was a paradox that there was much more deliberate self-harm and suicides at a time when acute services had been drastically cut back. She did not know why the Minister for Health was not jumping up and down in Cabinet about this state of affairs.