Illegal Waste Crisis to get Special Attention at meetings on Monday

The necessity to employ more resources to investigate the illegal dumping issue in the county is to get special attention on

Lots of Talk about Waste

Monday next when it will be discussed firstly at a meeting of the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) on the Environment and later at the monthly meeting of the County Council.

The decision was made at the housing meeting of the Council yesterday when the Chairman of the SPC, Councillor George Jones said that a special meeting of his committee has been called for Monday morning to review policy and make recommendations to bring the problem to a conclusion in as quick a time frame as possible.

`On the evidence available I don't have confidence that we can resolve this issue in a reasonable time frame and minimise the ongoing damage to both the environment and the good name of this county', said Councillor Jones.

He added that the ongoing drip feeding of various items is doing nobody any good and he felt that matter should be progressed much faster if the Council is to deal with many other important issues that fall under the remit of the environmental section of the Council. He then proposed that the issue be placed on the main agenda for Council meeting on Monday afternoon.

During a short debate on the issue yesterday, Councillor Tommy Cullen said that the Council should have a minimum of four investigation teams in action at any one time if headway is to be made. He also suggested that a committee of councillors and officials be set up so that public representatives can be briefed on matters as they happen.

Councillor Nicky Kelly said that the Minister for the Environment came to Wicklow to visit the illegal dumps and posed for a photo call but now he will have to show real commitment by providing extra resources for the Council to deal with the problem.

Councillor Deirdre de Burca along with some other councillors referred to the fact that a meeting of the SPC took place last

Tommy Cullen wants four council teams investigating waste

week and hours later the media broke a story that further illegal dumping was discovered at Whitestown. She felt there was no way that the officials were not aware of this matter at the time of the meeting.

`We are all learning about developments from the media. There are many questions to be asked especially in relation to the Roadstone site in Blessington. Has that site been investigated yet and if not, when will the probe begin', she added.

Enviromental Services officer, Mr. Michael Nicholson said that while 100 sites were named there are really only seven major ones to be investigated. In relation to the Whitestown site last week he said that the council dug a hole and found nothing so he did not consider it as an issue to bring to the attention of the SPC.

Co. Manager Mr. Eddie Sheehy said that legal proceedings have begun to make the polluter pay. `We will be looking for costs in our various cases to pay for the clean up. If this does not work out then we will be calling on the Minister to help out', he added.