Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I accept the general point made by the Deputy. It is not good enough that people in Ringsend or Greystones should have to tolerate foul odours from the plant and it is fundamentally odd that a new plant should operate in this way. I have expressed this view on behalf of my constituents. I have visited Ringsend and experienced the odour at first hand and sympathy is due to the local community. However, there were mitigating circumstances in this case given that there was a number of breakdowns. The site comprises two plants, the sludge plant, which was commissioned earlier and where the initial difficulty occurred, and the new plant. It is not good enough that there should have been a problem. However, there was also a fire in the sludge treatment plant. With regard to who will bear the cost ultimately, I am not sure where the fault lies. However, I am anxious that the taxpayer will not pick up the costs for faulty design or other errors of that nature.

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