Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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On the authority contingent obligation, ACO, issue, Mr. Phillips has stated that the managers have entered into that ACO on behalf of the public. In other words, this will be underwritten by and paid for by the public. However, the public and their elected representatives in the Dáil or on the four councils do not know about this. That is a remarkable situation to be in. In this regard, commercial sensitivity has been cited. However, the public is being asked to pick up the shortfall in this area.

I have a question for the witnesses. If I am not mistaken, RPS Group in a previous incarnation was M.C. O'Sullivan. At the time when I was a councillor, the then M.C. O'Sullivan stated that an incinerator was to be located in each of the eight regions, including one in Laois-Offaly-north Tipperary. M.C. O'Sullivan gave us a detailed presentation at the time, based on data produced by it, on the reason an incinerator per couple of hundred thousand people was needed. In other words, it was proposed at that time that there would be an incinerator in almost every backyard. RPS Group, which now comprises M.C. O'Sullivan, is now guaranteeing that this incinerator can cater for up to 600,000 tonnes per annum of waste, with householders and taxpayers in the four local authority areas in Dublin having to make up the shortfall and pay any penalties arising in respect of the ACO. Are the witnesses not concerned about this? Perhaps they would comment on the initial proposal to have eight incinerators, one of which was to be located in Laois-Offaly-north Tipperary which has a population of in the region of 200,000 to 250,000 people. How can the council be confident about the current predictions from what are essentially the same sources?