DE BURCA CALLS FOR RESIGNATION OF WICKLOW'S DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Councillor de Burca had sought a suspension of Standing Orders in order to discuss the issue of illegal dumping at Johnstown North in Arklow. In a devastating account of the illegal dumping that has occurred at the Compost facility at Johnstown, the Green Party councillor referred to videotapes and photographs that had come into her possession showing evidence of hypodermic syringes, condoms, children's toys, plastic bags and condoms that had been accepted at the site.

Councillor de Burca also described the large "hole in the ground" into which a huge quantity of liquid sludge had been stored on the site and she expressed her serious concern at the potential contamination of surface and groundwater supplies in the area.

Councillor de Burca's strongest criticism was directed at Mr Michael Nicholson, Wicklow County Council's Director of Environmental Services. She pointed out that despite the fact that numerous written complaints had been made to the council by local residents in the Johnstown area, Mr Nicholson had not just refused to revoke the owner's waste permit, but he had participated in an article in the local paper, the Wicklow People, in which he had promoted the compost facility in question and had spoken of it in very positive terms.

"What is most worrying about this whole episode is that the level of the council's involvement in this waste facility appears to have been quite extensive" says councillor de Burca. "The council sent both green waste and sludge to this compost facility over the past year, although the owner was in breach of his planning permission along with approximately 50% of the conditions on his waste permit. The records would indicate that the council did not carry out a single official inspection of this facility during that time, and when evidence was produced to indicate the scale and extent of illegal activity on the site, the council merely asked the individual in question to remove it to an alternative location"she says.

Following Monday's council meeting at which she raised this issue, councillor de Burca declared herself appalled at Mr Nicholson's response which indicated that the concerns she raised amounted to "much ado about nothing". She called on Mr Nicholson to resign his position as Director of Environmental Services. The other councillors have agreed to return to this issue of illegal dumping at next Monday's meeting of the council.

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