Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

Odour incidents at Dublin City Council's Ringsend waste water treatment plant, which is operated on the city council's behalf under a public private partnership contract, have originated from the on-site sludge treatment facility. A programme of works has been implemented by the city council, which has greatly improved the overall situation since summer 2004. Regrettably, the odour problem re-emerged for short periods earlier this year due to maintenance procedures and equipment failure in the sludge process that have since been addressed. There was also a fire in the plant.

The council is continuing to work closely with the consortium that operates the plant to achieve a resolution of any outstanding odour issues. In that context, the council has appointed international engineering consultants, who recently commenced a comprehensive review of all aspects of the plant, including the design and ongoing operation and management performance.

The recent announcement by the European Commission of the initiation of proceedings in the European Court of Justice on odours from waste water treatment plants arose originally from a complaint about the Greystones sewerage scheme, which has, thankfully, been resolved, and not the Ringsend plant. The EU action does not relate to Ringsend per se, but to the Commission's concern that there should be legally binding general odour control rules for all such plants in Ireland. Draft regulations to amend the binding rules on sanitary authorities relating to the design, construction, operation and management of urban waste water treatment plants to address odours such as that in Ringsend are in process. They have been sent to the Commission for its views. On the basis of our initial contacts, I am confident they will be accepted and the issue will be resolved.

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