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[Press Release: October 16, 2001] Greens express concern over landfill application for Ballynagran!The Wicklow Greens have expressed their concern over a recent application by Celtic Waste for a landfill at Ballynagran, Co Wicklow for the disposal of commercial and residential waste. The Ballynagran site is located 5km southwest of Wicklow Town in a primarily agricultural area, and close to the N11 road. This site was previously proposed by Wicklow County Council as a site for a landfill but this proposal was defeated by a local campaign group following a successful High Court challenge.Green Party councillor, Deirdre de Burca, has expressed her concerns about the proposed development. “I think it is worrying to see yet another key aspect of waste management in the county moving into the hands of the private sector. This will mean that the bulk of waste disposal in the county will be run on a profit-making basis and will be removed from any democratic control by members of the public. The private sector will be free to raise its waste charges as it sees fit in the future and the public will have no choice but to pay up or to do without the service” she said . Councillor de Burca expressed her concerns after attending an Information Day for councillors hosted by Celtic Waste in the Grand Hotel in Wicklow. “While the presentation was very professionally done” said councillor de Burca, “I was left with some serious questions”. She expressed disappointment that Celtic Waste had not conducted its own study of suitable sites in the county but rather had adopted the study that was carried out by Wicklow County Council in the early nineties. “This study was discredited by the Ballynagran Action Group who proved that this rich agricultural land was totally unsuitable for a landfill site ” says councillor de Burca. Councillor de Burca also pointed out that the planning application was for a landfill that would accept 180,000 tonnes of waste per year over a fifteen year period. “I am very disappointed to see that this is not an application for an integrated waste management facility where recovery and recycling of waste would take place, but rather an application for a Superdump that will accept all kinds of mixed waste from commercial and residential sources” she said. Councillor de Burca has also expressed her concern that the proposed landfill will accept waste from South Dublin, Kildare and Wexford as well as from County Wicklow. “I do not accept the argument therefore that the granting of planning permission for this landfill will solve Wicklow’s waste crisis” she says. “There is a danger that we would just see a continuation of the old pattern where Wicklow dumps are filled with Dublin waste”. For further information please contact Deirdre de Burca on 086 8061450 or email deburca@wicklowgreens.org. |