Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

The requirement for a thermal treatment facility was formally identified in Dublin's regional waste management plan which was adopted by the four Dublin local authorities in the late 1990s. In the context of the southern and eastern regional operational programme of the national development plan, my Department has provided Cohesion Fund assistance towards the planning of the Dublin region thermal treatment project. Planning and procurement of the project has been advanced under the co-ordination of Dublin City Council and is now well advanced.

Given the intention to use a public private partnership to deliver the project, my Department will wish to be satisfied that the procurement process has been properly conducted in accordance with the national and EU requirements and that the selected tender provides good value. Beyond this, my Department will have no further involvement in sponsoring or financing the project.

A thermal treatment facility requires environmental impact assessment and processing through the appropriate planning control requirements set out in the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the licensing requirements set out in the Environmental Protection Agency Acts 1992 and 2003. Since the outcome of these independent statutory processes cannot be known in advance, I am not in a position to say when a Dublin region thermal treatment facility will become operational.

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