Fine Gael Cork South Central Senator, Jerry Buttimer, has today (Thursday) called for an urgent debate to address the issue of a cover-up of the treatment of highly hazardous waste at Haulbowline, Co. Cork in what is termed ‘the largest and most extensive pollution incident in the history of the State’.
Reports in today’s media of a cover-up by the Government, the Environmental Protection Agency and Cork County Council of the treatment of around 500,000 tonnes of potentially deadly waste material from the Irish Steel site at Haulbowline, Co. Cork are beyond belief.”Not only has the Government shown utter disregard for the environment by suggesting the capping of the lagoons where the waste material is held but to blatantly ignore the health implications of such a move for local resident is incomprehensible.
“I have called for a Seanad debate at the earliest convenience so that the extent of what is going on here can be determined. These lethal carcinogens must be removed from the area and disposed of with the utmost care and consideration. That the Greens in Government could have presided over this cover-up is reprehensible in the extreme. An explanation is needed immediately.”