MANAGER MUST SEEK EXTRA RESOURCES FROM GOVERNMENT FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING SAY GREENS

Green Party councillor, Deirdre de Burca has been strongly critical of the Manager's recent presentation on illegal dumping in the county to a Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment in which he told Dail Deputies that the issue of resources had not prevented the council from carrying out its investigations in an efficient manner."The County Manager's statement to the Dail Committee really is quite incredible" says councillor de Burca. "He seems to be doing a solo run on this issue".

Councillor de Burca claims that the Environmental Strategic Policy Committee of the council asked the Manager early last year to seek extra resources from the Department of the Environment in order to speed up the process of investigation into the massive illegal dumps that have been found in Wicklow. "I am also aware from speaking to some of the council staff that they would really welcome extra resources to help them in their mammoth task of investigating these illegal superdumps" says de Burca. "However, the Manager appears to be ignoring both the wishes of the elected members and of his own staff with regard to this matter" she says.

Councillor de Burca has described the Manager's behaviour as "deeply undemocratic" and has insisted that he should be accountable to the people of Wicklow for his lack of action on the issue. "I am particularly thinking of the people of West Wicklow who have had to live with very long-drawn out investigations into illegal dumps in their areas and they are still awaiting any kind of legal action" says de Burca."This is not acceptable, as people have a right to know as soon as possible whether the are in fact living beside an illegal dump, what kind of waste the dump contains, and whether it has contaminated the local water supply"she says.

Councillor de Burca also points out that a lack of resources on the council's part has delayed the process of assembling enough evidence to prosecute those responsible through the courts within an acceptable timeframe."This is a key issue, as the council clearly does not have the money to go about cleaning up these sites" says de Burca. "The financial penalties imposed by the courts will be used to remediate the sites but with the current delay in getting cases to the courts, local residents will be expected to live beside these sites for years before they can expect any clean-up action".

For further information please contact Deirdre de Burca on 086 8061450 or email deburca@wicklowgreens.org.