Political Parties of all Colours say No to Incineration
Is the democratic process being supported ?

At the political debate, hosted last night by Cork Environmental Forum in the Imperial Hotel Cork,  key political parties gave their assurance that incineration was not the way forward for waste disposal.  Waste disposal featured as central to the discussions of all the environmental policies of the manifestos, and reassuring promises were made for increased recycling facilities and to seek alternatives to incineration for hazardous waste disposal.

Cllr. Dan Boyle of the Green Party promised a Ministry for Sustainability, Senator Máirin Quill said the Progressive Democrats would expand the Dept of the Environment into 3 Ministries for the natural environment, the built environment and energy policy.  Developments in taxation by the Labour Party would enable ordinary people to make environmentally less damaging choices according to Senator Brendan Ryan.  While Deirdre Clune promised that within 100 days of being in Government, Fine Gael would establish a National Waste Management Authority.  Dan Wallace, T.D. as Minister for the Environment, outlined the progress Fianna Fáil has made with the national environmental awareness campaign, highlighting the success of the recent 15 cent plastic bag levy.  In echoing the need for more recycling infrastructure, Cllr. Cionnaith Ó Suilleabháin of Sinn Féin along with the Green Party, said that environmental sustainability needed to underpin all the policies and he cited agriculture and industry and good examples where smaller operations could improve peoples lives and support rural communities.

Nuclear operations at Sellafield, drinking water quality, in particular the addition of fluorides to municipal water supplies, the location of telephone masts, the role of the EPA and whether the democratic process is being supported when the people and the politicians are saying they don’t want an incinerator in Cork Harbour, were among the topics raised by the audience.  The debate proved to be heated with many well informed members of the public expressing clear dissatisfaction and looking for changes in the way the environment will be cared for by the incoming government.  Professor Gerard Wrixon, President of UCC chaired a difficult meeting with humour and calm.

In closing the meeting, Mr Terry O’Regan of Cork Environmental Forum, likened  our current situation to being aboard the National Bus with our driver expected to resign next Friday, leaving us with a multitude of unresolved environmental problems. 

“ We will have the opportunity to interview and assess a range of prospective candidates over the next few weeks.  As never before we require a driver with a deep sense of environmental responsibility.  We must evaluate C.V.’s and check references for past performance thoroughly in making our decision.  If we get it wrong, not alone will we regret it, but so also will future generations.”