In a response to the EPA’s recent decision to refuse Brownfield Restoration Ltd’s application for a landfill at the site of one of the largest illegal dumps found at Whitestown in West Wicklow, Green Party councillor, Deirdre de Burca said:

“This decision represents a victory for the local community of Whitestown and Donard, and for ‘people power’ more generally. Brownfield Restoration was being advised by such political heavy – hitters as Des Richardson and Alan Dukes and the local community was very concerned that the application would be granted. This would have sent out the wrong message to all of those who are involved in the criminal activity of illegal dumping. Allowing a massive illegal dump to be transformed into a legal dump would only have encouraged illegal dumping generally”.

The Green Party councillor says that County Wicklow was an important ‘testing ground’ for the new waste legislation dealing with illegal dumps. “As the largest illegal dumps in the country were discovered in County Wicklow, and as this is the constituency of the current Minister for the Environment, the decisions that were made here set an important precedent for illegal dumps elsewhere” she says. “I am glad to say that the response by the EPA has been very much in keeping with the spirit and letter of the EU Waste Directives. I will also acknowledge that some credit should go to the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, who obviously had the good sense to respond to the very real concerns of his constituents. The EPA’s decision is good news for County Wicklow and is to be warmly welcomed”.