Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Ms Burke and her team. I appreciated their presentation. I wish to ask about a variety of issues. Can the EPA update me on the Greyhound facility in Clondalkin? The EPA has needed to involve itself in that site a number of times. As a Deputy for the area, I am curious about how matters stand.

I will ask a related, albeit more general, question. I will not necessarily pin anything to Greyhound, but suppose a company refused to change its ways after the EPA found it lacking. Could the company be closed down or would that be a decision for the courts? I would be interested in knowing the procedure.

I found the number of local authority inspections by the EPA as set out on page 11 of the delegation's submission interesting. Some 52% of the authorities passed the first round and further ones passed the next tranche of inspections. Overall, 24% failed. Which local authorities were they? As to the sorts of examination conducted, do they only relate to water, including wastewater, or are there other aspects? I would be grateful if the witnesses elucidated the situation.

Can the EPA comment on whether it regards fracking as safe? What impact would fracking have on our climate change targets, which we will not achieve anyway judging by what the witnesses have stated?

To return to my question on local authorities, raw sewage was being discharged in 44 areas. Were any of those in Dublin? Are there adequate sewage and wastewater treatment facilities in the greater Dublin area?