Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 489: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that the estimated cost of the remediation of the former Irish Steel and Irish Ispat site at Haulbowline, County Cork, is €40 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16153/12]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 490: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria that were laid down by his Department in terms of the tender for the remediation of the former Irish Steel and Irish Ispat site at Haulbowline, County Cork, in particular in terms of the potentially harmful and dangerous residual materials at the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16154/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 489 and 490 together.

I have been authorised by the Government Decisions to take responsibility for submitting an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regularise the licensing status of the East Tip of the Ispat site in relation to the hazardous waste deposited there. It is envisaged that expenditure of €40m will be incurred to undertake the necessary capital works associated with the clean-up of the East Tip. The money is to be channelled from my Department to Cork County Council, and drawn down by the Council as the work is carried out.

Cork County Council has developed a project plan involving seven phases to submit the licence application. It envisages that the preparation of a waste licence application and all associated works to take 12-16 months and based on this timetable it is envisaged that the application will be made to the EPA in autumn of this year. The consideration of the licence by the EPA could take a minimum of nine months which indicates that the licence could be awarded in the summer of 2013.